The Phantom's Scars
by savannavansmutsmut
Summary: First officer Edward finds a scared broken girl and does everything in his power to help her. Running for your life sometimes means fighting for the courage to actually let yourself live. This story is all EPOV Rated M for a reason, no rape scenes.
1. Chapter 1

SM owns it and Dollybigmomma rocks my work with her awesome beta talent. You have to just love her. I do!

Chapter 1 - Haunted

It was there again.

Ever since we left the German port, I could smell faint traces of flowers in my quarters. I had heard rumors once that this ship was haunted but there was nothing mentioned of women in the tale and this definitely smelled of a woman. I pushed the thought out of my head. I was the first officer of the ship and I had a lot to do. I needed to focus and ignore the soft lingering scent.

I pushed myself out of bed, throwing on my clothes. I looked at the clock and saw that I would be late if I didn't hurry and so I started hopping to the door while I shoved my foot in my shoe. I knocked over my table and cursed as I rushed out the door, not having time to straighten it.

I didn't know what had gotten into me but I had been sleeping deeper than I ever had since we'd left port. Maybe I was being bewitched into a deep sleep. I shook the silly thought out of my head and reported for duty.

The day was long and when it was time for me to take my lunch I was not looking forward to it. I usually took it in my quarters but knew that the table I usually ate on was knocked over leaving a mess I would have to clean up, shortening my thirty-minute lunch even more.

I rushed to my quarters, ready to work quickly. When I opened my door, I was surprised at what I found. The table was upright and the few papers I had scattered were sitting neatly straightened on top of it. I looked around perplexed, as I was sure I knocked the table over this morning, but in my looking around I noticed the clock and knew I would not have much time to eat.

I sat down, grateful to my phantom who gave me enough time to eat. I noted the soft floral scent again and looked around as I stuffed my face. Nothing else seemed out of order. I glanced at the clock and saw my time was up. I dumped my tray in the small empty trashcan, only feeling slightly guilty for wasting half of my ration, and hurried back to work.

Later that evening, I came stumbling into my room and crashed on my bed exhausted. Being first officer on the ship was really taking it out of me. I closed my eyes not even bothering to fight off sleep long enough to take off my shoes and pull my blanket up. I breathed in the mysterious floral sent on my pillows deeply and sighed, relaxing as I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning I woke, covered and without my shoes. In fact, my shoes looked freshly polished. I glanced over at the little shine kit I had but it was still in its place. Was I sleep-shining my shoes?

I stood and stretched, realizing my belt was undone as well as my pants button. I glanced at my clock and realized I'd overslept again. I wasn't late yet but I would be if I didn't hurry. I threw my clothes off hastily and redressed, hopping into my pants and my shoes, yanking on a fresh shirt as I stumbled out the door.

By lunchtime, I was already worn out. I set my tray on the little table and looked around my room as I took a bite of my lunch. I noticed the clothes I had kicked off all over the room this morning had been picked up and neatly put in my laundry duffle. I glanced at the bed and found it made as well. I was pretty sure I didn't have a maid but it sure seemed like it. I would have to ask the captain about it.

Thirty minutes just wasn't enough time to finish a meal. I dropped my half-eaten lunch into the trashcan and headed back to the bridge. I took my position beside the captain and looked around, noticing most of the others were still off for lunch. "Captain, we don't have a maid, right?"

He turned to me and laughed. "No, Son, were you waiting for one to come pick up after you?" he asked amused with my question.

"No," I said backtracking. "Just wondering," I muttered. He looked at me curiously but let it go.

The rest of the month went pretty much the same, me sleeping way to good and leaving my quarters in a disaster only to return at lunch to find them straightened. I had checked over the few personal items I had on the ship and none were out of place. Whoever was cleaning up after me was not a thief.

I brought my lunch in and was about to eat it when I was called back to the bridge before I could even get a bite. I dumped the wasted food in the trash and hurried back to work. The captain had let me know that a couple of other officers were ill and suspected it was food poisoning. They canceled lunch for the day. Everyone would just have to wait until the kitchen was cleaned up and dinner was made.

Later that night, I made it to my quarters at a reasonable time. I was looking forward to getting some good rest. When I opened my door, I stood their stunned for a moment. On the floor in the middle of my room was a small ball of a girl. I rushed forward and picked her up. Her skin was burning up. I set her on my bed, looking down at the small dark-haired creature. I wondered if she was my phantom maid.

I went to my small sink and grabbed a washcloth, wetting it lightly and setting it across her brow. I continued to do this long into the night until finally it felt like her fever broke. I looked at the clock. It was well after 3:00a.m. and I would have to be getting up soon. I looked at my narrow bed knowing that we would not both fit. I grabbed my laundry duffle and leaned it next to the bed so I could rest my head on my mattress next to her.

I was awakened by a small squeak and looked up to see the small girl sneaking through the grate into the air vent. I quickly closed my eyes so as not to let her know that I knew where she was hiding. Once I heard the grate click the rest of the way into place, I opened my eyes and stretched, looking around the room. The place was spotless as usual and the rag I'd used to cool her was hanging next to my sink. I looked at the clock and realized that it was time to get up anyway and get dressed.

I was still thinking of the small girl as I made my way to work. When I stopped for lunch, I wondered if she would come out. I sat at the table and looked at my clean room. I wondered for a moment what she was eating when I realized she must have eaten the food from yesterday. I got up to look in my trash to realize it was empty. I never stop to realize that I had yet to empty it of my leftover meals.

The poor girl was eating out of my trashcan.

I set aside half of my lunch on the table and took my empty tray back to the mess hall. I hoped that she would appreciate not having to dig in the garbage for it. I worried about her as I worked the rest of the evening. She was so light, just a slip of a girl. If she had only been eating my discarded lunch leavings, then she must be starving. I slipped an extra roll from dinner and a piece of chicken into a napkin and stuffed it into my pocket. I would leave it out for her in hopes that she would eat it.

I set it out on the table and decided to leave her a note.

_Dear Phantom Maid,_

_I worry about your health and hope that you are feeling better. Please eat the food I have left as I saw how thin your form was. You have nothing to fear in me. _

_Your Friend,_

_First Officer Edward McCarty_

I left the note and food and readied for bed. Getting to sleep tonight would be difficult but I did finally doze off, anxiously dreaming of the girl in the grate.

A/N SO here is my latest fic, let me know what you think there is more to come. I hope to update daily. Thanks for reading please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Dinner Companion

When I woke, I looked over to the little table to find the napkin empty and smiled. I was glad she had eaten. I looked at the note and saw there was something written under my words.

_Many thanks for caring for me when I was ill. The food was wonderful. I have not had a friend in a long time, it's nice to know I have one now. _

_Phantom Maid._

I was intrigued; she obviously spoke and wrote English which made me believe she was not originally from Germany. I was curious about her and her life and what had brought her to stow away on the ship. I was curious as to her age and name and thought as a friend I should at least know them. I quickly jotted down another note.

_Dear Ms. Phantom Maid,_

_I do truly consider you a friend and wish as a friend to know your name and age. In good faith, I will give my own in return. I was christened Edward Anthony Masen and was later adopted, changing it to Edward Anthony McCarty. My age is an old rickety twenty-four. Please gift me with the knowledge of yours._

_Your dear friend _

_Edward_

I read over the note one last time and smiled to myself. I hoped that the little personal information I had given her would encourage her to open up. I set the note aside and hurried to work, wondering if I would have something to read at lunch.

I made sure to grab an extra large helping of food and rushed back to my quarters. I smiled when I saw there was writing again under my own.

_Dear Edward,_

_I am nervous about giving you my name, as I fear you will want to dispose of me when you find out who I am. My age I will share. I am seventeen and will be eighteen by the time we reach the shore of the U.S. I hope this puts your mind at ease a little. I am not a runaway, just a person discarded._

_Your friend _

_Phantom Maid_

I looked over the note a second time. The young girl was seventeen. I thought for sure she must be lying because she seemed so much smaller when I held her in my arms. Surely the small slip of a girl could not be that age. Of course, it didn't make sense for her to lie to me about her age and not her name.

I decided it was time we met in person.

_Dear Phantom Maid, _

_I would very much love for you to join me for dinner. I will bring it here to my quarters and hope to find you here waiting._

_Your friend _

_Edward_

I set the note next to the lunch I left for her and hurried to work. I did my best to focus on the tasks at hand but was often distracted with thoughts of the small girl hiding in my room. I made my way to the mess hall, loading up a tray of food and excused myself from the captain's table, feigning exhaustion and hurried to my quarters.

When I opened the door, I noticed the small girl standing by my sink looking worried. I smiled trying to calm her but she continued to twist her fingers nervously.

"Please, come sit." I offered her the chair in my quarters, setting the tray down and sitting on the bed next to it. She moved forward nervously and blushed when her stomach growled. I passed her the silverware, picked up a dinner roll and leaned back on my bed.

She sat down and looked at the food and then to me. I waved her off. "Go ahead and eat your fill, this was my second tray as it was," I lied.

She nodded nervously and started eating the food.

"So, you're seventeen?" I asked.

She looked at me with scared eyes, but nodded yes.

"You're awfully small for seventeen," I commented.

She just shrugged.

"So, is there any chance you'll give me a name to call you or will you forever be my phantom maid?" I asked teasing her lightly, hoping she would loosen up.

"Bella," came out in such a soft whisper I almost missed it.

"Bella?" I repeated smiling, she just nodded yes.

"Well, Bella, it's nice to meet you. I have to say, you're a wonderful maid. I was sure this place was haunted until I found you. I hope you're feeling better."

She blushed lightly and nodded yes.

"That's good to hear."

I let her finish eating, taking in her form. Now that I had a better chance and was not so worried about her health, I could see her body a little better. She was hunched forward as if trying to hide in herself but still I could see a curve of breasts. I guess she really could be seventeen.

"So, Ms. Bella, when is your birthday?" I asked.

She looked down at the calendar on my desk and then pointed to Thursday.

"Really? So soon?" I asked.

She just nodded and looked confused. She finally spoke but again her words were soft whispers. "I told you I would be eighteen before we docked in the U.S."

"Yes, I guess that's so and we'll be docking in two weeks. I'm sorry for doubting you."

She just shrugged and wiped her face on the napkin. She was done with her meal, even though she'd barely eaten half of what was on the tray. I got up to clean up the tray and noticed her flinch and shoot across the room at my movement. He eyes were wide and scared. "Hey, I won't hurt you, I promise. I was just going to take the tray to the mess hall."

She watched me closely as I moved and then left the room and my heart broke a little that she feared me. Someone must have hurt her to cause her to jump in such a way. When I returned to my room, I was not surprised to find she was gone.

The next two days I left notes in the morning, at lunch and at bedtime along with food. I asked her things such as her favorite color and other personal yet impersonal questions, hoping to get to know her better and gain her trust.

She had answered every question but still I had not seen her again. It was the day of her birthday and so I left a note at lunch asking her to please join me for dinner. I found an emergency candle and shoved it in my pocket. I overfilled my tray and headed to my room in hopes for some dinner company.

I smiled when I saw her standing timidly by the sink again. She was wearing the same brown shirt that looked much too big and some baggy pants that I assumed had to be tied on her to keep them up. They were rolled several times at the cuffs, obviously much too large for her. I pulled out the chair for her and smiled. "Happy birthday, Ms. Bella," I said and lit the candle. "I'm sorry we don't have cake or even birthday candles but I figured you could still blow this one out for a wish."

She smiled softly and her eyes sparkled lightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

I had been wracking my brain on what to give her for her birthday all week but came up with nothing until just now. I smiled as I slid open the drawer in the little side table and pulled out a sewing kit so she could alter her clothing. She was watching my movements closely. I could tell she was nervous. I hid the little kit in my hand and then moved them into her reach. She moved back a little nervously but to her credit, I could tell she was doing her best to keep herself from darting across the room.

"I know it's not much but I thought maybe you would like to have this," I said smiling and then opened my hands to show her the gift. Her eyes lit up with relief and I wondered what she thought it was.

"It's a sewing kit. I know it isn't much, just a few buttons and a needle and some thread but maybe it'll be enough to help you get your clothes to fit a little better," I said.

She looked down at her clothes and then to the kit, smiling softly. "Thank you." She made no move to take it, though. I set it on the table next to her and moved back on my bed and then she reached out and took it, sticking it in her pants pocket. She finished her meal and then blew out her candle.

"So, what did you wish for?" I asked. She smirked and shook her head.

"What, can't tell me?" I teased.

She giggled. I loved hearing her giggle, it was a beautiful sound and I hoped I would be graced with the sound again.


	3. Chapter 3

I got such an awesome reception from you guys reviewing I thought I just had to give you a little more. I hope you enjoy it. There will be more coming tomorrow as well. I promise!

SM owns it and Dollybigmomma is my lover and awesome Beta!

Chapter 3 - Scars

There was a storm that would set back our docking time for a few days, and the captain and I were taking shifts to make sure we sailed around it safely. Once he told me of the order, he sent me back to my quarters so I could try to rest so I would be of a clear mind when I took over that night.

When I opened the door, I heard a small gasp and my eyes found little Bella quickly covering herself in the corner. I quickly turned my back and waited until she was dressed. I was surprised when I felt a small tap on my shoulder. I looked over my shoulder to see she was dress and moving to the far side of the room.

"Sorry, Ms. Bella, I was sent to my quarters by the Captain. A storm has come up and I'll be wanted on the bridge all evening while we make our way around it."

She just nodded but didn't move. I notice that her large brown shirt seemed much more fitted. "You fixed your shirt," I said smiling.

She blushed lightly and then nodded yes. She turned around and showed me how she attached a button to one side and made a loop on the other side and hooked them together, pulling the material taut against her body.

"Well, you did good," I complimented.

She just shrugged lightly and I saw how she had done something similar to her pants.

"Well, I hope you don't mind company for the next couple of days," I said and lay back.

She shook her head no and surprised me when she pulled out a book from god knows where and sat down on my duffle quietly. I looked over at her a few times wanting to know what she was reading but she never looked up.

I finally couldn't stand the silence anymore and got up and walked over to her. She looked up at me nervously. "What are you reading?" I asked grabbing the book edge, tilting it so I could see.

She bit her lip, nervously looking at me, unsure of what I was doing. I saw her wide fearful eyes and knew I was too close. "Sorry," I said and moved back across the room. "I was just curious."

She let out a sigh and nodded okay, setting her book down. She pointed to the bed and I moved to it, not fighting her. She surprised me by kneeling down next to me. She pressed her finger to her lips shushing me. I guess she knew I wanted to ask more questions.

She gently stroked my hair, causing me to relax and close my eyes. I heard a soft humming of a song I didn't recognize but seemed familiar and before I knew it I was asleep.

When I woke up later that day, once again she had her shirt off but she had not noticed me. She was leaned over my little sink washing her hair. The soft floral fragrance I had been smelling since our last port assaulted my nose. It was heavenly. I breathed in deeply with my eyes closed and then let my shamed eyes wander across her bare back. I noticed a long angry scar that was marring her skin from her right shoulder to her left hip. Their seemed to be a few other marks but I could not see them clearly. Before I realized what I was doing, I was standing behind her examining her scarred back. I reached out, touching the bright red angry gash and she just about leaped out of her skin.

She spun around, whipping me with her wet hair, soaking my white shirt through. She slammed herself back against the wall trying to put distance between us as she wrapped her arms around herself covering her breasts. I quickly looked for her shirt and noticing it on the floor by the sink, I picked it up. She was whimpering as I stepped closer to her and I held the shirt out for her to take.

After a few moments, she finally reached out taking the shirt and I saw on her wrist that there were bondage scars. My brow furrowed and I looked into her eyes worried, wanting the answers but knowing she wasn't in any state of mind to give them. I watched her pull her shirt on, tugging the sleeves down to cover her scarred wrists. She sat in a quivering ball in the corner. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I didn't mean to startle you, I just saw your back was hurt and was worried. I didn't mean to scare you."

I backed up and turned the water off to my little sink. "I should get us some food, please wait here. I would like to talk to you. I swear I didn't mean to scare you," I tried again to explain but her eyes stayed wide and panicked.

I decided to just slip out the door and give her time to settle down. I checked in with the captain and grabbed my lunch. I headed back to my cabin and saw that she was still sitting in the corner shaking.

"Bella?" I called to her but I felt like she couldn't see me.

I decided to just say screw it, walked over to her and picked her up, cradling her thin form in my arms. She whimpered a little louder but when I sat down on my bed, I cradled her head into my neck. I started humming the song she had hummed to me. It surprised me that I could remember the tune so clearly and then I noticed that she finally started to relax a little.

"Hey, little one, you feeling better?" I asked looking down at her watering eyes.

She sniffed and nodded yes and then moved off my lap. I missed her instantly.

I got up and pulled the chair out for her. "Are you feeling up to eating?" I asked and her stomach growled. I laughed. "I'll take that as a yes." I patted the seat so she could sit down and scooted back on the bed and watched her eat as I usually did.

"Do you have any family?" I asked.

She shook her head no.

"So, what are your plans for when you get back to the states?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I figured I would get a job as a maid, or waitress," she said in between bites.

I nodded. "Bella, do you have any papers or documentation?"

She looked down at her pocket for a minute and then to me. She wiped her hands on the napkin and then reached into her pocket. She pulled out a license with her picture. Her face looked a little fuller and younger and I realized that it was because it was an underage license. She must have been just sixteen in it. Of course, that two years must have seemed like a life time ago to her.

"So, says here you're Isabella Marie Swan and that your home is in Jacksonville, Florida."

She closed her eyes and a few tears dripped down her cheeks.

"Hey, do you want me to get you back there?" I asked looking at the address again and she jumped up and shook her head no. I worried that whoever was in Jacksonville was the one that had hurt her.

"It's okay, it's fine. I didn't know if you had someone."

She shook her head no and pulled her feet up on the chair, rocking herself a little. "Bella, you know I won't hurt you, right?" I asked.

She nodded yes and I smiled in relief.

"Look, when we get to port I'll take you to my place and help you get set up. I don't want you homeless or on the street and well, you've already proved to me how useful you are as a maid, so do we have a deal?" I asked. "You clean up after me and I keep a roof over your head and let you look for a job and work during the day."

She looked a little unsure but I knew she couldn't refuse and I wasn't about to let her out of my sight. She would not be living homeless on the street if I could help it.

A/N So what do you think. Let me know and leave me some love.


	4. Chapter 4

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 4 – We Do

It was the last day on the ship and we were getting ready to pull into port. I was picking up the few personal items I had in my quarters and stuffed them into my duffle bag.

I looked up to see Bella sitting watching me quietly.

"So, have you figured out how to get off the ship?" I asked.

"I'll just wait until it's empty and then sneak off at night."

That may have worked at any other port but it wouldn't at this one. I sat down and let out a defeated sigh.

"Bella, half the crew lives right on the port, including me. They'll see if anyone is going on or off the ship and you can't get down in the water because of the alligators."

"What?" she practically shrieked.

"We're going to port in Georgetown, South Carolina, Bella. Shit, I don't know how to get you off the ship without getting you caught."

I got up and was pacing nervously. I had to find a way to fix this and fast. What I hadn't counted on was being so distracted that I was late coming back from lunch. The captain decided to find me himself and popped his head in the door to find me with Bella.

"Shit, boy, customs will be here in a fucking hour, what the fuck are you doing with a chick in your quarters and how the hell did you get her on the ship?"

I rubbed my face, not sure what to say. I couldn't let them take her. I couldn't let him throw her off the ship. "She's my girlfriend," I lied. "I met her on the internet and she was in Germany, I picked her up there."

"Fuck, boy, what am I going to do with a German chick with no passport, they'll toss her in a cell quicker than you can blink."

"Marry us. That would make her legal, right?" I blurted out.

The captain blanched at the idea and then looked at the little wisp of a girl. "Is she even legal?"

"Yes, she's eighteen and she's an American citizen. She just doesn't have papers at the moment. Can't we say that we picked her up further south or something? She has a driver's license."

The Captain shook his head. "Log books will show we didn't stop anywhere. Look, maybe if she says she had a friend meet us and I marry you so she has a second set of legal documents, they won't question her."

I looked over at Bella and saw her staring at the floor, shivering in the corner. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her and whispered in her ear that I wouldn't let them take her.

Captain left and came back with a standard maritime marriage license. He kept a book of them in his desk but had yet to ever use one. He opened the book, tearing off the top one and asked for our ID's so he could write down the information on them. He frowned when he saw Isabella's ID. I was sure he was thinking she was just a baby. He scratched his scruff and looked up at us worried but filled out the paper. "Her Florida address will make the meeting us out here on the water story more likely. You're lucky she isn't from Montana or some other land locked state," he said and then handed me the pen to sign the paper. I signed without hesitation, too worried that they would take her.

The captain took the pen and reached it out to her. She flinched back a little. I took the pen from him and set it on the table knowing she would feel more comfortable picking it up from there.

"You sure about this, Ma'am?" the captain asked. "Once you sign this, it's done, you're married. I know we didn't do pretty words but that's really just for show. This paper here is the meat of it. Once you sign it, you're stuck with him," he said motioning to me.

Bella moved forward, cautiously watching the captain and quickly signed her name without a word.

The captain let out a rough breath. "Okay, kids, you're married," he said and tore off the little bottom part. "I have to mail this in to the registry but you're still good to go. So, McCarty, you may kiss your bride."

At that, Bella's eyes widened in surprised and the captain let out a laugh. I leaned over and pecked her cheek. She nearly jumped out of her skin but the captain found it humorous and left us alone.

I sat down on my bed and looked at my bride. My mother was going to kill me. "Well, you're safe now; I won't let anyone lay a hand on you," I said and she sat down on my dirty laundry bag. "Well, the Captain knows you're here so there's no reason to hide in the grate anymore."

She looked up at me surprised and I smirked. "I still have no idea how you fit in that thing." I walked over and looked down in the grate. It was tiny; it couldn't have been comfortable to hide in there.

"Like you said, I'm small," she whispered.

"Okay, um, when we get back to my place, I'll see about getting you some clothes that fit."

"That's okay..." she started but I cut her off.

"Bella, I'll not have my wife running around in those clothes. What kind a man do you take me for? People will think I'm a horrible husband. Do you really want them thinking that about me?"

She blushed a little and shook her head no.

"Good, then it's settled, when we get home, I'll help you find some clothes." I had to warn her about my mother. She ran the little restaurant under my apartment. There was no getting around her. "Just so you know, you're going to meet my mom and she's most likely going to be pissed at me for running off and getting married, but she won't be mad at you, okay, so don't take any of her yelling to heart."

She looked at me worried and I let out a sigh. "Look, little one, I swear, I'll never let anyone raise a hand or voice against you, alright? You'll be fine; just don't be surprised if my momma wants to throw us a party after she reams me."

"Sorry," she whispered softly.

I chuckled. "Nah, she's been wanting me to settle down for a while now so it's nothing."

The next morning we were boarded by customs and they took Bella's ID and our marriage certificate at face value, not questioning us further. We both let out a sigh of relief as they left the ship and we came into the port. My home was just a short stroll up the boardwalk so I threw my laundry bag on my back and my duffle on my shoulder and reached my hand out to Bella. She pulled a small grocery bag out of the grate and took my hand. As we stepped out of my room, we got several odd looks and loud comments but the captain shut them up saying that was my bride and they'd better show respect.

Bella gripped my arm tighter as we stepped off the boat onto the boardwalk and headed home. By the time we got to the back of the restaurant where the steps to my place were, she was hanging onto to me for dear life. I wrapped my arm around her and started up the step to my place when I heard my mother's voice call to me.

"Sugar, where are you going with that candy on your arm? You better get your butt down here and give me some lovin."

I looked over my shoulder. "Let me put my stuff down first, Ma, and I'll be down, I promise."

"You better, boy, I know where you sleep," she teased and I felt Bella tense.

"Don't worry, little one, I've got you, you're safe," I whispered as I hurried into my apartment. My urge to protect Bella had grown stronger over our time together and I was determined to keep her safe

Even from my mother.

A/N so here is your update for today I am off to go work on abduction. Thanks for reading please review.

PS. As for the Alligators in George Town, I never saw them just the signs that said please don't feed the alligators. That was enough to make me run the other direction!


	5. Chapter 5

Again, I couldn't believe how many reviews I had and thought I just had to post another chapter for you all because I'm a softy. This is mostly beta'd but I did tweak it a little after Dollybigmomma sent it back. She is working on my next Abduction chapter right now so I thought I would just post it as is and keep my fingers cross that I didn't mess this chapter up too much.

Once more, SM owns it. Now on with the show!

Chapter 5 – Home Sweet Home

My place was small. It had two bedrooms but one was full of junk and, well, the other looked like I lived there without Bella, meaning my clothes and things were strung all over it. I quickly picked several things up but felt her hand on my arm stopping me. She just shook her head no, letting me know she would do it.

I only had a twin bed but it had a trundle hidden underneath for when my younger brother would get too drunk to walk home without my ma fearing him drowning. She had found him once, hanging over the railing of the pier by his knees. He told her he was trying to catch a fish. Yeah, I never said my brother was bright. After that scare, she asked me to put a spare bed in the apartment for him the next day. He had only used it a few times, but at least my mom knew he wasn't drowning, or fishing as he called it.

Bella walked around nervously, looking at everything timidly and with wide eyes. She looked at my twin bed warily and then to me. "Where should I sleep?" she almost whispered.

I pulled out the trundle, kicking aside the dirty laundry on the floor. I really should have picked up some. When I popped the bed up so it would be at a normal height, a magazine went flying out from under it and Bella caught it. Of course, once she saw what it was, she tossed it as if it was on fire.

"I swear that was Emmett's; he's my little brother, he sleeps here sometimes. I'm so sorry," I said and quickly threw it in the trash. I went to my closet and pulled out some sweat pants that tied and a sweat shirt. "These will be big but they should be warm. I'm sorry but I don't have any…under things," I said motioning to her girly areas and she just blushed again. "Sorry," I said again nervously and started for the door. "That's the bathroom there, you can shower or whatever and I'll be out there talking to my mom. You can come down to the restaurant or you can stay here and wait for me. Either one is fine, okay?" I asked and she nodded in response. I smiled reassuringly at her and slipped out the door.

Time to go face the music.

I hurried out of there feeling awkward in my own place.  
I practically stumbled down the stairs and my mother cursed me for sounding like a stampeding elephant and told me to sit after she hugged and kissed me. "So, who's that girl you have with you?" she asked curious.

I couldn't really think of any other way to say it so I just said it. "She's my wife."

My mother continued chopping vegetables and asked me to repeat myself because she didn't hear the name right.

"Her name is Bella, Mom, she's my wife," I said a little louder.

She stopped mid chop and looked up at me. "Is she in the family way?"

"What?" I asked confused.

"You know…" she said and motioned around her stomach.

"Pregnant?" I asked.

Her eyes narrowed at me.

"No, Ma, she's not pregnant, I swear, I've only ever kissed her cheek and that was after we were married."

"Now, don't you get smart with me, boy," she snapped pointing her knife at me.

"I promise, Mom," I said crossing my heart. "She needed help and she's scared. I married her to be sure she wouldn't get sent back to where she came from."

"And where is that?" she asked.

"I don't know for sure, but we picked her up in Germany."

"So, she's a kraut?"

"What? No, she's American and even if she were German, would you care?"

"Is she a good woman, Edward? That's all I want to know," she asked seriously.

"Yes, she is." At least from what I knew of her she was.

"Do you plan on staying married to her?" she asked and I looked up at the ceiling almost wishing I could see through it to see if Bella was alright.

I just shrugged. "I don't see a reason why not to but if she wants to leave, I wouldn't stop her."

"From what little I saw of her, she seems so tiny and frail. Do you know what happened to her? Has she said why she needed help?"

"Not yet, Mom. I'm doing good right now just to be able to get near her. It's taken me weeks just to move around her without her panicking or acting like I'm going to harm her."

My mother pouted. "I want to meet this girl," she said and I was about to stop her but she put her hand up. "I'll be nice, Edward, just let me feel her out."

I knew there was no stopping my mother but I tried to rush as fast as I could behind her so she wouldn't get Bella alone. My mother burst into my apartment and I watched as my poor little Bella jumped in shock, dropping a dustpan that I didn't even know I owned. She looked at my mother wide eyed and backed against the wall shaking. I grabbed my mother's shoulders stopping her. "Stop, you're scaring her."

"But I haven't said a word yet."

"Just wait, let me introduce you first," I said and Bella's eyes darted from my mother to me. I walked slowly over to her and she let me take her in my arms. She seemed to calm down right away, relaxing into my touch. "Bella, this is my mother, Esme."

She gave my mother a sad smile and then looked down at the floor. "I'm so sorry I made a mess," she said and tears started running down her face.

"No, no, little one, it's fine, you're fine. We didn't mean to startle you and this place looks so much better than when I left just a few seconds ago. I swear, you were like Speedy Gonzales or something," I teased and she sniffled in response. I wiped the tears from her eyes. "I promise it's okay, I told you I would never hurt you or let anyone hurt you, so you know it's safe."

I pulled her back into my arms and held her tightly and I heard another sniffle but this time I realized it was coming from my mother. "Oh, baby girl, welcome to the family," my mother said with tears in her eyes and came over giving us a group hug. Bella looked at me warily but I smiled down at her and she relaxed. My mother kissed her forehead and promised to fatten her up. I laughed and said we had the same agenda.

Little Bella needed to get some meat on her bones.

My mother brought us all up dinner and we ate together. Bella was silent but did nod yes and no when my mother would talk to her. I kept her close to my side so she would relax a little but I knew my mother wouldn't do anything to upset my little one on purpose.

My mother left after dinner, giving us both kisses on the cheeks when she left and I retired to the bedroom to get ready for bed. Bella stayed in the living/dining room/kitchen. As I said, it wasn't that big of an apartment. Once I was ready for bed, I poked my head into the front room to see she had cleaned up after dinner. "Bella," I called to her, "I'm dressed so it's safe to come to bed now."

She blushed lightly, nodded okay, and came into the room. I climbed into my bed and she walked over to hers looking down at it nervously. She looked over at me and then to the window by her bed. "Would you rather sleep away from the window?" I asked and she looked at the door. She walked over to it, locking it and nodded yes.

I moved to the bed by the window and watched and she carefully climbed into bed. I could see her shaking across the room, and I was certain it wasn't from being cold. I lay there listening to her breathing until it finally evened out and she was asleep. I didn't know who broke my girl but I hoped to one day fix her.

A/N - We will be meeting Emmett next chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and please review.


	6. Chapter 6

A lot of people are asking when this is taking place. It is modern day time. So present day or whenever you feel it fits, someone guessed the 90's, I said, sure what ever. There is no time specific references really, so have fun imagining whatever you want. I do!

Chapter 6 – Bear at the Door

I woke the next morning to the smell of bacon. I knew I didn't have any bacon in the house and wondered where it came from. I walked out to find Bella cooking bacon and eggs.

"Smells great, little one. Did my mother bring that stuff by?" I asked.

She shook her head no.

"Where did it come from?" I asked curious. She pointed downstairs.

"Did you go downstairs?" I asked.

She nodded yes and I smiled. "That's great, I'm glad you're feeling good enough to move around."

She didn't say anything and I decided to set the table. We ate in silence and then I told her I had to go down and check to see if my mom needed help. She just nodded okay and I left, kissing her cheek on my way out the door.

I found my mother and she hugged me smiling. "It's so good to have you home. You're little Bella is so sweet as well. She heard me opening at five o'clock this morning so I could get the fryer heated and she snuck down and asked if I needed any help while it was quiet. I didn't but gave her some food she asked for so she could cook you breakfast. How could I say no to those baby doe eyes?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I know what you mean, she is a sweetie, I just wish I could do more for her."

"You're doing right by her so far, Edward. Just be good to her and she'll start to get better. She came out and talked to me now didn't she?" my mother encouraged.

"Yeah, that's true. I'm glad, too. I need to get her some clothes. She doesn't have anything other than some men's clothes she sewed to fit and the sweats I gave her last night."

"Oh, Edward, why didn't you tell me? I could have brought a few things over."

"Maybe when you get a chance tomorrow, otherwise I was just going to take her to the store. I suspect she doesn't have any under things," I said as I felt my ears burn.

"And how would you know that? You're not taking advantage of that poor girl are you?" she scolded.

"No, no, it's just, when she was on the ship, she was washing her hair in my sink and she didn't have her…" I stopped; my mother's glare was getting to be too much. "Look, I just saw her back and that's when I knew something bad had happened to her."

"Her back?"

"Yeah, there were scars all over it. That was all I noticed were the scars."

"Oh, that poor girl."

I let out a sigh. "Look, Ma, just let me know if you need help when your shipment comes in."

"Will do, sugar," she said kissing my cheek. "You be good now," she warned and I promised I would.

When I returned, Bella was of course cleaning. The place was spotless and I didn't know when she had time to do it. I also heard the little stacked washer and dryer going in my closet.

"You've been busy," I said and she smiled and nodded at me.

"I feel kind of useless, at least before when you were cleaning up after me I was working on the ship, now I'm just sitting around."

She frowned and then walked into our room and then out, handing me her book. I laughed at her and rolled my eyes. "Silly girl, I'm not into classic romance novels or any novels actually," I said scratching my neck, realizing I sounded like an illiterate idiot. "But I guess I could give it a go," I said as she eyed me and then smiled as I cracked the book open and started to read.

Thank god the phone rang a few minutes later because the book was melting my eyes. I quickly answered it and found my mother was on the other end asking me to come down and unload the farm truck delivery.

I told Bella I had to go help my mom and she waved goodbye as I hurried out the door. I was met by Emmett on the boardwalk who was already on his way. He lived two shops down over a candy store. "Hey, bro, I heard you were back in town. Good to see you again. You sticking around for a while?"

"Um, yeah, I suppose."

"Cool, there are some openings at the factory if you're interested," he offered.

"Maybe," I said not sure if I should leave Bella. I had made enough to support us for the rest of the year on my last ship run.

"He'll be doing no such thing, he has a wife to look after, don't you, sugar," my mother said and my brother looked at me as if I had grown a second head.

"Wife?"

I cleared my throat. "Yeah, she's at home right now."

My brother turned and was ready to run to my apartment, causing me to panic but luckily my mother grabbed his arm. "You get to work unloading the truck now, you big oaf, and then we can go and visit with Ms. Bella."

"Thanks, Mom," I said and got to work unloading the truck. It didn't take nearly as long as I hoped it would. Jasper the souse chef got to work on putting the food away, leaving my mother free to join us. She could see I was panicking. Emmett was big and loud and obnoxious. I just knew he was going to freak Bella the hell out.

"Emmett, baby, you need to take it easy on little Bella, she's very timid and shy so you need to stand back and keep your mouth shut until Edward lets you know it's okay to talk to her," my mother instructed and I was thankful for that.

"What? Man, that sucks."

"Quiet, boy, or I'll send you to clean the toilets," she threatened and Emmett stood quietly by the door.

I knocked lightly letting Bella know I was coming in and Emmett looked at me like I was nuts. I opened the door slowly and saw that she was switching the laundry loads. She jumped a little when she saw me and sighed in relief and smiled when she saw my mother walk in behind me.

Of course, that smile fell as Emmett came into view and I hurried to her side. "This is my brother, Emmett; he won't hurt you, I promise. He just wanted to meet you. I swear he won't hurt you or he would have me and my mother to deal with, and he's no match for my mother," I joked and she cracked a small nervous smile. I let out a sigh of relief and looked up at my brother. "Emmett, this is Ms. Bella, my wife."

He took off his hat and tipped it at her. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Bella. I'm sorry if I startled you."

She nodded it was okay and my mother walked over and helped her gather the laundry. "This place is actually looking livable, Bella. You're doing a wonderful job with it. I'm very impressed, you're quite the little homemaker," my mother complimented her and she blushed. "Edward here tells me you're short on clothing and I let him know I have some things for you and I was thinking you may feel more comfortable going shopping for under clothes with me instead of him." When my mother said this, Bella blushed again and nodded yes.

"Why would she want to go underwear shopping with her mother in law? Doesn't she want you to pick out what you like?" Emmett asked and I quickly apologized to Bella as I shoved Emmett out of my apartment.

I was going to have to have a talk with my brother.

A/N more Emmett to come soon! Thanks for reading please review.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Kindred Spirits

I went outside with Emmett and closed the door behind me quickly, ready to ream him a new one.

"What the hell?" he asked.

"Will you shut up," I growled.

"I don't see what I did wrong."

"Can't you see she's just a baby? I'm not fucking her, Em," I snapped.

His brow furrowed confused. "I don't get it. You're married, but not…"

I rolled my eyes. "Emmett, I'm trying to help her. I'm not sleeping with her."

"Help her what?" he asked like the big dumb oaf he was.

"Emmett, go home and maybe Mom will explain it to you later."

He frowned at me. "Fine, you guys aren't being all that nice anyway. I'm going to go get me some candy and watch a game," he said as he stomped away.

I walked back into my apartment hanging my head. "I'm so sorry, Bella, I should have explained to him before I let him meet you."

"It's okay, but, um, Edward, do you mind coming with us shopping?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, sure, not a problem. Let me just grab my keys."

"Edward, I think we should take my car, beside the fact that all three of us can't fit on your motorcycle, you have nowhere to stow anything."

"Oh, yeah," I smiled sheepishly.

I was going to need to look into getting a car at some point now that I had someone besides myself to look after.

We followed my mother down the steps and into the Magnolia restaurant that she ran. She walked into the kitchen where Jasper was working and explained she would be gone this morning but would be back for the lunch rush. She failed to notice how Bella hid behind me. Jasper's eyes narrowed at her, mistaking her fear and hiding for finding his appearance appalling. Jasper had a huge burn scar down the left side of his face, neck and body and preferred to work in the back away from people.

My mom finally noticed and cleared her throat, getting Jasper's attention. "Mr. Whitlock, I would like you to meet my new daughter in law, Ms. Bella, she's very shy, especially around gentlemen, so please don't feel offended if she doesn't speak to you."

Jasper looked at her again a little softer this time and I pulled Bella tighter into my arms. "You can wave hi," I whispered and she pulled up her little hand and waved at him, giving him a hopeful smile.

His returning smile was wide and relieved.

My mother clapped her hands, causing Bella to jump. "Now that's settled, let's go shopping."

We pulled up to the first little store and it had women's under things hanging in the window. "I'll just wait here," I said and my mother didn't seem bothered but Bella didn't leave the car.

My mother came to her side. "Bella dear, we can't get you clothes if you don't come in and see what fits."

Bella blushed hard.

"You want me to go in?" I gulped really not feeling comfortable with it.

She nodded yes and I knew there was no way of getting around it. I got out, opening her door and took her hand. She leaned into my arms and I led her inside where I quickly closed my eyes and stood stock still. I did _not_ want to bump into anything and look like a pervert. I listened to my mother talk to a woman and I felt Bella being pulled from my grip, which I was fine with once I peeked and saw she was going with my mom toward the dressing rooms.

I heard giggling and other women moving around me and then finally I felt a hand take mine. I looked down and saw it was Bella and sighed in relief. "You ready to go?" I asked.

She nodded yes.

"I have her sizes, Edward. You two can step outside," my mother said and I turned and started quickly out of the store but in my rush I failed to notice a mannequin by the door and ended up knocking it over and landing on top of it.

I heard gasping and laughing. One of the sales ladies came over and grabbed the mannequin as Bella helped me up.

"I'm so sorry," I said sincerely hoping she knew I truly did not have a thing for lingerie-clad mannequins.

She looked over at Bella and winked. "He's a cute one," she said to her and Bella squeezed my hand a little tighter and smiled up at me before she pulled me toward the door giggling.

After my mother was done at that store, we went to my mom's house. It still looked much the same as it did when I was a little kid. There were pictures of my stepdad still hanging as he played with Emmett and I. My birth father had died, killed by a drunk driver on the way home from the restaurant one night. It was two years later that my mom met my step dad. They were married and about a year later my brother was born. Since he was the only dad I ever remembered, I took his name to honor and thank him. Unfortunately for everyone, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and died six months later. That was three years ago but I could tell my mother still missed him.

My mom was a strong, beautiful woman and people were naturally drawn to her. She was very successful with her restaurant because she knew how to read people. Many of the town's people came just for a chance to sit and have her talk with them. She was one of the most understanding, loving people I had ever known, and she was exactly what Bella needed to help her work through whatever had happened to her.

"Edward, why don't you have a seat and I'll pull out some clothes for her to change into." I nodded my head and my mother handed her an armful of clothes and Bella's eyes filled with tears.

"Are you alright, dear?" my mom asked her and Bella nodded her head yes.

"Thank you for everything," she said softly and my mother hugged her tightly.

"Go on now, sugar, go get dressed," she said handing Bella one of the bags from the underclothes store.

Bella came out wearing a nice blue shirt and a pair of jeans and I had to admit, it was obvious she was wearing a bra now. Bella had really nice boobs.

I hadn't realized I was staring until my mother kicked me and said, "Her face is a little higher, sugar, I raised you better than that."

Bella and I both blushed at that. My mother walked over hugging her. "See, you're beautiful, sweetheart; you got my boy all speechless," my mom giggled.

She and Bella spent the next hour going through my mom's stuff. Why women had so much I would never know. She also went through her jewelry box, vanity and bathroom, loading Bella down with cosmetics, girl stuff and toiletries, for which I was grateful. My bathroom stuff consisted of a bar of soap, a bottle of shampoo and an electric razor, other than that and my tooth brush I had no idea what to buy for her and Bella seemed way too shy to have me go with her to help buy that stuff.

They came out chatting quietly, carrying tons of bags. Bella was practically glowing from the attention my mom was showering on her, and it looked beautiful on her.

"How about we pack this stuff up in the car and you can take it all home with you? Whatever doesn't fit you can give to Goodwill. I haven't fit into these tiny clothes since before Edward was conceived," my mom said pinching my cheek, making me blush again. I grabbed my mom and hugged her.

I didn't know what either of us would do without her.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Swans and Butterflies

We all headed back to the restaurant and I helped Bella carry her things up to our place. I realized once we got inside that I didn't have anywhere to put her clothes, especially since she had washed and put away all of mine. If she'd left them all over the floor and dirty I was sure I could have moved my stuff around enough to give her a drawer, but as it was, my dresser looked like it was going to burst.

She didn't seem worried, though; she just set the bags of clothes on her bed and then waved for me to follow her. We walked into the bedroom with all the junk and it looked like she'd cleared off some shelves. "Can I use this for my clothes?" she asked pointing to the bookcase.

I shrugged. "Sure, let me get it for you." I moved it fairly easily as it wasn't too heavy and set it against the wall by the bedroom door. That was really the only place there was any room with the two beds and my dresser and then the door to the bathroom. I could see why they didn't add a closet to this room.

She started unpacking her clothes and setting them on the shelves but stopped when she came to the bag of under things.

"Hey, why don't you use the dresser and I'll use the shelves? I mean, you've already seen my shorts and you know there ain't nothing special about them like, um, ladies underwear."

We both blushed talking about women's underwear and before she could answer, I grabbed one of my drawers, dumped it on my bed, and went to grab the next. She put her hand on my arm and carefully pulled out the drawer and took the folded stacks of laundry and put them on the shelf. I realized she was trying to preserve all the hard work she'd put into folding my clothes and I felt like a jerk.

Once all the clothes were put away, she went to the kitchen and started pulling out stuff to make sandwiches. I stepped into the kitchen and started pulling out more stuff to go with them. She smiled as I did my best to rearrange the chips into a flower for her. "That's what you get when you marry a guy who grew up in a restaurant. Just wait until we get some fruit and I'll make you flowers and birds."

"Really?" she asked softly and I wondered if she would ever talk in a normal voice.

"Yeah, my mom used to cater a lot of parties and so she taught us boys how to make flowers and animals but if you ask Emmett, he'll deny ever being able to do it," I said smirking.

She pulled out an apple I didn't know we had and handed it to me. "Can you make me something?"

I nodded and grabbed a paring knife, getting to work on the apple. I made a quick little butterfly for her and she smiled. "I can do fancier but I'm kind of hungry," I said and took a few chips off my plate, shoving them into my mouth.

"You eat a lot more now," she said as we ate quietly at the table. I looked up at her, surprised she was talking to me.

"I guess I know my mom will be expecting me to so I just do. I don't want to disappoint her."

She nodded her head but I didn't think she fully understood my mother's need to feed people, there was a reason she ran a restaurant.

I heard the heavy thumping of boots and knew my bother would be bursting through my door any moment. "It's just Emmett," I reassured her as I got up.

He rapped on the door, making the whole damn wall shake and my poor little Bella jump. "He isn't mad; he just doesn't know his own strength."

I opened the door and stepped outside and Emmett frowned. "What do you need, Em?"

He pulled out a bag from the candy shop under his apartment. "I brought some candy for your wife. I felt bad for scaring her."

"It might also help if you don't stomp up here and bang on the door like you're trying to knock down the wall. You're a big bear of a man, Em; you're going to scare her."

"Why isn't she scared of you?"

"She was. It took quite a while for her to get used to me."

"Can I see her please? I promise I'll be good and keep my mouth shut."

The door opened behind us and there stood Bella looking at the pair of us. Emmett waved like an idiot. "Hey, little sis, I brought you some candy. Alice thought you'd like them. She owns the candy shop so she would know candy." He held the bag out to her but she jumped back a little. I took it from him and put my arm around her, leading her inside and left the door open for Emmett to follow. I set the bag on the table and stepped over by Emmett. Bella looked up at us nervously but then peeked into the bag and smiled. She pulled out a chocolate and popped it into her mouth smiling.

Emmett seemed to sigh in relief when he saw she liked them. He bumped me with his elbow knocking me sideways a little.

"Thank you for thinking of her, Emmett. Now, if you're done…"

He cut me off. "You made her a butterfly, why didn't you make her a swan?"

Bella looked at the two of us.

"I was hungry and, well, it was simple and pretty like Bella."

Bella blushed a little at my words and surprised us both when she tossed an apple to Emmett and pushed the knife to the end of the counter and then stepped back, sitting at the table waiting.

"Looks like she wants you to make her a swan."

Emmett looked at her and then the knife and then gingerly picked it up. "I always rocked the swan way better than Edward anyway."

"What? You did not. My swans were always way better."

I heard Bella giggle as she got up and got another apple and knife, setting them down waiting.

"Fine. We'll see who makes the best swan."

We were going at it when Bella suddenly stood up startled and then smiled. I turned to see my mother had come in. "What are you boys doing?"

"Hold on a minute," Emmett said with his tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration. He finished up his swan and held it out toward our mom. "I think Mom should be the judge because your wife would be biased."

Bella actually giggled.

"So, Mom, who did better?"

"Well, Edward mastered the graceful swan a little better this time, Emmett." I smiled triumphantly and did a little victory dance causing Bella to giggle more. I loved hearing that sound.

"Okay, boys, would you mind helping out downstairs for a while. I left Jasper all morning and he needs a break."

"Alright, Mom," we answered getting ready to go down and work. I realized my mom hadn't followed us and when she did finally descend the stairs, it was with Bella on her arm.

"She's decided to join me in the kitchen," my mother said proudly. She patted Bella's hand. "I always wanted a daughter but had to make do with these two."

"Hey!" Emmett and I complained together and my mother just winked at us.

"You know I love you two," she said.

However, I had a feeling Emmett and I were quickly going to be taking second place.

A/N I am trying to figure out how to get the links for the apples to work. I do have pictures to go along with this story, which is rare for me but I will do my best to figure it out. Thanks for reading please review.

(./_ Emmett's swan.)

( .com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mukimono_apple_ Edward's swan)

(.com/.a/-800wi ) Edwards butterfly apple


	9. Chapter 9

Dollybigmomma really worked her magic to this one as well as betaing. She is just awesome like that. SM owns it and yeah I write it too.

Chapter 9 – Dry Cow

My mom pulled Bella into the kitchen as Emmett and I put on bussing aprons. Jasper never really worked out front but we always put on aprons when we worked in the kitchen so we didn't spill stuff on ourselves and make it look like we pissed our pants. We learned at a young age to keep our crotches dry if we didn't want to be laughed at.

When we made our way into the kitchen, my mother was talking to Jasper and Bella was washing dishes. I sat back watching her. She looked content and it made me smile.

"Just wait until we get watermelons in. You ain't seen nothing until you've seen what I can do with a watermelon," Emmett bragged to Bella and she just looked amused.

"Edward, have you been showing off your carving skills to your wife?" Jasper asked and then we heard a clattering of something being dropped. We all looked to the doorway to see that Tanya, our dairy girl, had dropped her clipboard. She had been trying to get her plastic claws into me for quite a while now so I wasn't the least bit sorry that she overheard I had a wife. I stepped over next to Bella.

"Tanya, you're early. Emmett will help you unload while Edward helps his wife with the dishes," Esme ordered and Tanya stood stock-still, glaring at my little Bella. I stepped in front of Bella, blocking Tanya's view of her as I felt little Bella shrinking back. I wrapped my arms around her and held her for a moment.

"You're fine, little one. I'm right here," I whispered in her ear and she turned into me, getting me sopping wet but I didn't care. I held her while Emmett and Tanya brought in all sorts of cream, cheeses, milk, and everything else my mother usually ordered to cook with.

When they were finished, Tanya stood in the kitchen just staring at us again. She finally cleared her throat and said, "Congratulation, Edward," like she was choking on the words and then hurried out the door. Emmett busted up, laughing loudly and causing my little Bella to jump.

My mother shushed him and smiled over at Bella. She came over and brushed the hair back from her face. "Are you sure you're okay to work, sweetie?"

Bella nodded and loosened her grip on me.

"Alright, we're all right here, you know we would never let anything ever happen to you."

She seemed to frown for a moment but nodded yes, appeasing my mom who quickly went back to cooking.

Instead of words of encouragement, Emmett decided to make a bad joke, saying you could get all the milk you wanted from Tanya without ever having to buy the cow and that was why I was never interested in marrying her.

I kicked Emmett in the knee and was smacked in the arm by a spatula in reprimand by my mother. She did not tolerate horseplay in the kitchen. We learned the hard way about that one, too. There were some places you just didn't want crawfish on your body.

Bella and I finished with the dishes quickly and I had to say, she probably would have gotten them done a lot faster if I wasn't helping. I think I slowed her down. "You're really good at this," I said and she looked up at me amused.

We had gotten into a routine, Bella would have breakfast ready when I woke and then we would go downstairs and work with my mom. We had been doing this for almost two weeks, so I was surprised when I woke up and didn't find Bella in the kitchen. The only other place she would be was the bathroom so I quickly knocked on the door and leaned my ear against it only to hear crying.

"Bella, are you okay? Do you need something, little one? Are you sick?"

She didn't answer me and the door was locked. I started to panic so I did what any man did when he didn't know what to do with his upset wife. I called my mom. I told her what was going on and she came right upstairs and sent me out of the bedroom so I couldn't hear what was going on.

My mother left and came back moments later and then knocked on the bathroom door. Bella opened it a crack and took something from my mother and then my mother gave me a shopping list.

When I looked down at it, I felt like an idiot. Of course Bella was a girl so she would need this stuff.

_Regular Tampons_

_Panty Liners_

_Pamprin pain reliever_

_Heating pad_

She was having her period and was obviously miserable. I looked at my mother dumbfounded. "You're a husband now, that's part of your job." I nodded and hopped on my motorcycle to hit the closest Walgreens.

I scratched my head when I stepped inside the store. I was only familiar with the liquor aisle here. A woman stepped up and looked over at my list. "Do you need some assistance?" she asked.

"Yeah, my wife needs this stuff," I said handing her the list and she smiled.

"This way, Sir." She led me through the feminine products aisle and I had never seen so many choices for handling one bodily function. I was lost in a jungle of super versus ultras, maxis versus minis, and god help me, scented or unscented. Who thought of this stuff? Of course, right next to all this was the display of condoms, spermicidal products and lubes. I felt my ears getting hot as I thought of needing any of those.

I was relieved when we were finally heading to the register. She surprised me by stopping and grabbing a tub of cookie dough ice cream, some little chocolate cakes called Ding Dongs and some chocolate bars. She set them next to the other items. "Trust me; she'll be thrilled you bought these, you'll earn some major brownie points with her," she grinned and I smiled and thanked her as she rang up my purchase.

I found Bella lying on her bed curled into a ball with my mother rubbing her back. I walked in and showed her what I bought and my mother got up and kissed my cheek. "It looks like you can handle it from here. Good job, sugar."

I quickly grabbed a bottle of water and gave her the pills she had requested. As she took them, I plugged in the heating pad, put it on low, and passed it to her. She thanked me with tears in her eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked.

She sniffled a little and I pulled her into my arms. "Esme makes me miss my mom," she whispered sadly.

"Oh, little one, I'm so sorry," I hugged her a little tighter. "Do you want to tell me about your mom?"

She looked up at me unsure and then nodded yes. She went on to tell me how her mother was a bit of a free spirit and she always had her head in the clouds, never truly noticing what was going on around her in the real world. She was a busy body but always had time to care for her daughter when she didn't feel well.

When I asked what happened to her mother, remembering that she'd said she had no family, she just shook her head. "Nothing happened to her. It was who."

I looked at her, waiting for her to explain, but her lip just quivered and she turned her face into my shoulder and burst into tears. I held her until she cried herself to sleep. I didn't know who hurt my little one but I would do my best to let her know she was safe now.

A/N What happened with Bella will come out in time, be patient! Ha ha ha, just kidding. I swear I am getting to it as fast as I can! Thanks for reading please review.


	10. Chapter 10

Some of you have been wondering where Dr. Cullen is. Well he is right here! I hope you enjoy him. As always SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it! Thanks!

Chapter 10 – Dr. Cullen

It had been three months that I had been married and living with my little Bella. She had seemed to find her place with my family and I could tell they truly loved her. She and my mother had become close, and the way she clung to my mother just made Esme smile. She'd always wanted a daughter and now she had gotten her wish. Bella was still so young and impressionable so I was glad that it was my mother helping for the sake of her young mind. I didn't think you would ever find a better woman than Esme. She was open and loving and had a heart the size of the ocean. I also knew that if she knew I was lusting after our little Bella she would kill me.

Bella was just a little girl and here I was fighting my eyes to stay on her face and not her breasts. I was such a bastard. She was so tiny and warm and I just wanted to snuggle her in my arms and not let her go but I couldn't touch her. Not without reason, not without the purpose of comforting her, and she had needed less and less comforting lately. It had been too long since I'd gotten to hold her in my arms and it was driving me nuts. I did my best not to look as she bent at the waist, pulling pots out from under the counter. I tried not to watch the way her hips moved as she washed dishes and I swear to god I sincerely tried not to look at her wet shirt! But it was wet!

Thank god my sweet little innocent Bella never noticed my observations. She never seemed to notice I was watching her every damn second of the day and I always found a task close to her so I wouldn't have to leave her side, but it was all true and I was a bastard for it.

Jasper stopped me one night as I stocked the pantry. "You should have her talk to someone," he said. "Not all scars are on the outside." He handed me a little card and left me to stare at it dumbfounded. I knew my wife needed help but I guess I was hoping I would be enough. I looked down at the name, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, and wondered if he could help her. I wondered if he would let me go with her to her sessions because I doubted she would feel comfortable enough to go on her own. I would have to call and find out.

Thinking about Bella seeing a doctor took my mind off her body. At least something positive came out of the mess of my worry. I snuck off up to our apartment and called the number on the card. I was surprised when a man answered. "Hello, this is Dr. Cullen, how may I help you?"

"Hello, Dr. Cullen, I was calling for a few reasons. My friend gave me your card and suggested that my wife might benefit from your assistance in dealing with some stuff."

"What kind of stuff are we talking about?" he asked pleasantly.

"Well, to be honest, I don't know. She hasn't told me what happened to her but I know something did, so I was hoping you would be able to help her out."

"You know, if she did decide to come speak with me, I would not be able to share with you her life experiences. Only she can share that with you. Doctor patient privilege you know."

"That's fine," I let out a breath. "Um, how much would it cost for her to come see you?"

"I'm guessing you don't have insurance?"

"No, Sir, we don't, I work on a ship half the year and I'm home the other half working in my mother's restaurant, The Magnolia."

"The Magnolia? You know Esme McCarty?" he asked a little excited.

"Yes, she's my mom, as I said." I wondered what his deal was. Wasn't he supposed to get paid to listen?

"Oh, she makes the best pies. You bring me one of her pies and you got yourself a deal."

"So, a pie a visit?" I asked a little confused.

"Yes, or cobbler, oh, her cobblers are heavenly as well!" he said excitedly.

"Um, okay, when can I bring my wife in?" I asked.

I heard the rustling of papers and then he asked, "How is late this afternoon at five o'clock? It's the last appointment of the day and will give us extra time if we need it."

"Thank you. We'll be there."

When I told my mother of the deal I had made with Dr. Cullen, she seemed a little too happy about it and it bothered me. She made a sheet of peach cobbler just for him and sent a tub of vanilla ice cream to go along with it. Of course, because of the payment we were taking, we had to borrow her car. A sheet of cobbler and a tub of ice cream, along with my wife, would be very difficult to manage on the back of my motorcycle, at least it would be if we wanted to keep it bug free.

When we walked up to his office, I noticed his hours were from 9:00a.m. until 5:00p.m. and wondered why he would schedule an appointment for us after hours. When we walked in, I handed him his ice cream and his eyes just about popped out of his head when he saw the cobbler. He was just able to fit it in his work fridge and then brought us back to his office.

"So, why don't you both tell me a little about yourselves so we can break the ice," he said.

I looked to my wife who was staring firmly at the floor and holding onto my hand like it was her life rope. I scooted a little closer to her, understanding her nerves and wrapped an arm around her. She promptly buried her face in my shoulder and I saw Dr. Cullen's eyes soften.

"Well, I'm Edward and this is my wife, Isabella, but she goes by Bella. We met on my last ship run for the paper mills. She stowed away in my quarters and with time I was able to coax her out of hiding and get to know her a little."

"Do you have any idea of why she's so timid in male company?" he asked gently.

I frowned and picked up her hand. She had no idea what I was doing and gasped when I pushed her sleeve up a little, exposing her wrist with the bondage scar. She yanked her hand away from me and tucked it behind me in the couch.

I kissed her head and hugged her. "It's okay, honey, he's a doctor," I whispered and I saw her peek at him. "She also has scars across her back as well," I informed him and she wiggled more into my side. I hugged her tighter and kissed her head. "I got you," I whispered.

The doctor just looked at us for a while and then wrote a few things down. "So how did she come to trust you?" he asked.

"I suppose when I took care of her when she was sick on the ship and then I started leaving notes where we spoke of ourselves to each other."

He nodded. "So your relationship was developed over time?" he said.

"Yes, it was, and I made sure to let her know that I would not hurt her. I did scare her a couple of times but I did what I could to calm her or I would leave so she could see I wasn't a threat."

"Did it work? Could she calm herself?"

"I don't know; she was gone when I would come back."

He pulled his chair around to the front of the couch and Bella tucked her legs up next to me. I wrapped my arm around them as well so she would know she was safe.

"Alright, Bella, my dear, I can see you're very anxious when you're around me." He looked at me. "I assume this is true of all gentlemen?"

"Yes, it took her a while but we got her used to my brother and Jasper. She still does not do well when left alone with them, though."

"Okay, what I'm observing here is a severe reaction that I'm fairly certain happened as she needed to defend herself before from some kind of danger, but now it's out of place. She has an anxiety issue now that's limiting her ability to interact with others. So, I'm going to write you a prescription for some anti-anxiety medication. It will most likely make her sleepy so I suggest that you have her take it before bed. It'll take anywhere from a week to a month to fully kick in and we'll see how she's feeling then and adjust the medication accordingly."

I brushed the hair back from her face and kissed her forehead. "Bella," I whispered to her, "Is that okay? Do you want to try some medicine?"

"It'll help with your panic attacks as well," Dr. Cullen added.

She looked up at me and then to him and then back to me and then nodded yes. I smiled widely and kissed her forehead again. "Okay, honey, we'll get it for you."

Doctor Cullen got up and walked to the other side of the room, pulling out a note book and then his prescription pad. He wrote up the prescription and handed it to me along with the note book. "Bella, I suspect some of the things you experienced would be difficult to talk about, even medicated, so I want you to write them instead. You don't have to share them with me or anyone else," he said looking me in the eye, "Unless you want to. I want you to come back in a week and hopefully the medicine will have kicked in a little. Your writing assignment for next week will be to write your feelings on coming to see a doctor for help. They don't have to be positive. If you're upset with Edward for bringing you, by all means write it. Just get it out, okay?" he said and then patted my knee. "You're doing good with her, she trusts you. Let's hope she trusts you enough to know you were just trying to help by bringing her to see me." He stood up and moved his chair back behind his desk. "Alright, same time next week?" he asked.

"Yes, that's fine."

"Okay, wonderful, have a good week," he called to us as we left. I think I liked him. I was worried that he would be a jerk and insist I stay out and scare the living daylights out of my girl but he was gentle and careful and even knew to hand the stuff to me, not to her. I think this might work. I hoped that it would.

A/N We will start getting inside Bella's head soon as they go over her note book in the next few chapters. Thanks for reading please review.


	11. Chapter 11

Here is todays update. SM owns it, dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 11 A Peek Inside

Bella spent the next week writing in the notebook almost constantly. It was like all the things she wanted to say, she wrote instead of verbalized. I wondered if she was very chatty before she was taken because she seemed to have a lot to say.

We took a pie to Dr. Cullen the following week and Bella brought her notebook, which she kept with her twenty-four-seven. I think she was afraid that I would read it. I had to admit that I wanted to, but I respected her wishes and her privacy. I was kind of hoping that she would let Dr. Cullen read it out loud.

Dr. Cullen took the apple caramel crumb pie with joy and led us back to his office. Bella snuggled deep into my side and focused on her notebook in her lap.

"How was your week?" he asked.

I smiled. "Good, I think." I looked over at Bella, "She's taking to writing like a fish to water."

"Good, that's good, I'm glad to hear it. It can be very therapeutic to get it out. How is the medicine working for her?" he asked me.

I looked at her wondering if she would give me a clue of how to answer. She just smiled at me. "I think it's doing good."

"Do we need to adjust the dose?" he asked. "We can make it a little higher if need be," he offered speaking more to her.

She nodded yes and he smiled.

"Alright, we'll kick it up a notch. Is there anything in the notebook you would like to share with us?"

She looked at me and smiled timidly as she pushed it to my lap. I smiled at her, taking it. It was the first time I think she let anyone else lay a hand on it. "Do you want me to give it to him?" I asked.

She nodded yes.

I reached it out to Carlisle and he took it. "May I read this out loud or do you want to keep it between us?" he asked Bella.

She shrugged.

"Okay, if I'm going to read this out loud, I want you to have my stop bell," he said and pulled a little silver bell from his drawer. "If I start to get to a part you don't want read aloud, you just ring that bell. If you want me to stop reading all together, you ring it three times okay?" he asked and passed me the bell to give to her.

She nodded okay.

He opened the book and I held my breath waiting for the chance to get inside her mind.

'_I was not happy to have to come to the doctor but I know why Edward did it. He was right to do it. I am such a huge burden on him and his family. I didn't realize how broken I was until I was forced back into the real world. Everything is so different from from my life before. I wonder if I am ever going to be that girl again and hope that maybe I can be.'_

Her first entry was short but left me feeling hopeful.

'_I like to watch Edward, he doesn't know it, but I know he is watching me constantly. I watch him watching me. I can see him in the reflection of the pots in the kitchen and sometimes in the window at night. I see him looking after me and I feel safe. It feels good to feel safe.'_

I felt a little guilty for getting caught watching her constantly. I felt my face burn with embarrassment, but I was glad that she felt safe and not creeped out. I felt her squeeze my hand.

'_Esme is the most beautiful woman I have ever met. I want to be strong like her. She looks after me and everyone that comes into her restaurant. I overhear her laughter from the dining hall and I listen carefully to hear her speak people's names and ask about their families. She knows them and loves them. I wish I wasn't broken so I could love like her.'_

"You're not broken," I whispered to her.

She frowned at me.

"Okay, maybe a little dinged up but we'll fix it," I said and she rolled her eyes.

'_Edward is restless at night. I wonder what has him so bothered, what keeps him awake. I know what keeps me awake and I hope it is nothing like that. I don't want him to have nightmares. I sit next to his bed at night humming to him like I did on the ship, but now it is to calm him so he has happy dreams, not to keep him asleep so I can stretch. His hair is soft. I like to touch it when he is asleep.'_

She blushed a little but I leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Thank you," was all I said and she smiled timidly up at me.

'_These pills make me sleepy. It has been harder to avoid my nightmares. I have taken to getting up at night and sitting in the tub. The cold hard surface makes me feel safe, like when I hid on the ship. I knew I was safe, I was gone. I still doze off and I still dream. It is never the same dream, always a different part, always a different face, a different piece of the puzzle I am trying to throw away. I wonder sometimes how many pieces there are in this puzzle of Hell.'_

"Very eloquent," Dr. Cullen said.

'_Emmett is big, he reminds me of…'_ Those were the last words Dr. Cullen was able to read before the silver bell rang clearly three times.

Dr. Cullen looked up at her and smiled as he closed the book. "Good job, Bella. I want you to know you can expect to have your privacy respected." He passed the book to me and I gave it back to Bella. I knew she kept a fair distance from Emmett and now I knew why. He reminded her of someone from before. My little one was making great strides in even being able to be around him.

I kissed her forehead. "You're doing great," I whispered and she snuggled deeper into my side.

"Bella, I gather from your notes that you're not sleeping well and that can really make your anxiety worse. For this next writing assignment, I want you to spend the week focusing on things that make you feel good and help you relax. It can be anything from the smell of something to the feel of a something, like you mentioned the bathtub. Just focus on what it is you like and what makes you feel happy and safe, and hopefully in next week's visit we can come up with a plan to help you get a safe and happy night's rest," he said smiling.

He wrote out another prescription. It was for the same medicine, but for a higher dose. I hoped it would help my little one rest. I felt guilty that I had been sleeping like a log, unaware of her distress at night. I was going to have to find a way to fix that.

A/N If you think the chapters are too short just wait a couple days and read three at once for a larger dose of the story. Thanks for reading please review!


	12. Chapter 12

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it. **

**Chapter 12 Liars**

**EPOV**

The new medicine seemed to be helping Bella. She was working more with my mother and I noticed that she was going to bed earlier. I did my best to stay awake and keep an eye on her but it never surprised me now that when I would wake myself in the middle of the night, she would be in the bathtub curled up pouting. After a couple of days of this, I figured out she was in there by midnight and decided to just stay up and see about helping her. I didn't make it and was asleep by eleven o'clock. I felt like such a grandpa not being able to stay up, but in my defense, my mother had gotten a lot of shipments in and we had been working our butts off.

I set my radio alarm clock for 11:55 p.m. so I would wake up before she moved. At least that was my plan. Unfortunately, that was not how it went down. At 11:55 p.m., the radio clock started blaring some damn rap crap, thumping as if the walls would come down and I knew for sure Emmett had stayed at my place when I was away.

I sat up to Bella screaming and running to the door, saying she didn't mean to lock it, that it was an accident and she was sorry. She flung it open, running into the front room, and I found her curled in a ball crying. She flinched when I first touched her but I ignored it and pulled her into my arms. Once she buried her face into my chest, she seemed to relax a little.

"Hey, little one, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't mean to upset you, you're safe," I whispered to her, rocking her in my arms.

She sobbed quietly, whispering she was sorry every once in a while. She eventually fell asleep with me holding her sitting against the wall in our front room. I looked down at her exhausted tear stained face and decided it would be best if I just sat there and toughed it out for the night. My little one needed a rest.

The next morning, I woke up stretched out on the floor with little Bella curled up on my chest like a cat. My arms were holding her in place so she wouldn't fall and her back was against the wall that I had been leaning on. Little one was squished but she seemed content and still asleep which was a rare thing when the sun was up. She must have really been exhausted.

I carefully pick her up, trying to keep my groaning to a minimum, as my back was freaking killing me. Whoever said sleeping on a stiff board helped your back was a liar. L. I. A. R. Liar, I tell you because my body was damn near killing me. I tucked my little one into her bed and went to the bathroom looking for some pain killers; there was no way I was functional with this ache. I knocked back a couple of Pamprin because that was the only pain killers we had and stretched, trying to crack my back. It popped several times as I groaned. I looked over at my shower and decided to hop into it and let some hot water work its magic.

I rolled my shoulders, moaning as my muscles relaxed. After a few minutes, I got out to brush my teeth and start the day. I was sure my mother was wondering where we were and I wasn't about to wake up my little one. I had just wiped my mouth when Bella came flying into the bathroom and threw herself into my arms, hiding her face in my chest, not even bothering to notice I was only wearing a towel. I could feel her wet tears and hear her sobs so I knew something was up.

"Dude! Man, I'm sorry!" I heard Emmett yell from my front room. I could only guess he startled my little one. I picked her up and carried her out to the front room where Emmett was standing sheepishly.

"Sorry, man. Mom sent me to check on you guys. I didn't mean to scare her. It's just hard to get used to the whole knocking thing," he said as he walked over to the stove and turned it off.

"I'm sorry, Bella, really I am. I'll just tell Mom that you guys are not going to make it," he said and hurried out, slamming the door behind him. I sat down on the couch with my little one and rubbed her back.

"It's alright, little one, I've got you. You're safe. Emmett's gone." I remembered that Emmett reminded her of someone and I figured that was what caused such a strong reaction this morning.

She sniffled a little and then looked down at my bare chest and then to my face and blushed a deep red.

"Are you feeling a little better?" I asked.

She looked up at the kitchen where she had been cooking and nodded yes.

"Okay, um would you be okay if I went and got dressed now?" I asked and she jumped off me as if I was on fire. I couldn't help but chuckle as I pulled my towel tighter again and went to get dressed.

She was sitting down staring hard at her breakfast when I walked into the room. "Are you alright?" I asked.

She nodded yes, not looking up. I let out a sigh. "We have another appointment with Dr. Cullen in two days. Why don't you write about this in your book? It might help you feel a little better."

She didn't look at me, just nodded again.

"Would you be alright if I ran down to check if my mom needs me?"

She nodded yes but I wondered if she would really be okay. I hurried down with a promise to be back soon. I'd just pushed through the door when Emmett was on me apologizing and asking if he should get her more candy or something. He didn't mean to scare her. It would have been endearing if it wasn't so damned annoying.

My mom pulled me into her arms and kissed my head. "Sorry, sugar, I'll come up and check on you myself if the phone isn't answered."

I had suspected Bella wasn't answering the phone but I wasn't sure why. I figured it would eventually come out with Dr. Cullen.

Our waitress, Rose, came walking back with a scowl. "Some asshole wants to see Edward and his wife."

I flinched. "What did you tell him?" I asked a little worried.

"Nothing, I said I would see if you're available and he better order something if he's sitting at my table."

Rose was a bitch, but in her defense, it was because my stupid brother was constantly harassing her. Honestly, we were lucky she didn't sue us for sexual harassment.

She threw a glare in Emmett's direction and he pouted as she made her way out of the kitchen. The idiot was never good with women and it was his own fault. He wasn't bad looking, just stupid when it came to girls. Of course, weren't we all?

I made my way out to the dining hall and Rose glared in the direction of a man sitting alone. He looked much to fabricated and rich to be here. I walked up warily and ready to lie. I didn't know who he was or what he wanted, but he wasn't getting my little one. "I'm Edward McCarty, you asked for me?"

"Yes, where is your wife?" he asked straight away.

I gave him a genuine confused look. "Look, buddy, I don't know what you're trying to pull but I'm not married," I said holding up my hand with no ring. That made me think; I should get a ring for Bella.

He looked at me confused. "Look, Isabella is supposed to be dead but I got a hit from a marriage license with this address."

"What? Look, buddy, I don't know what kind of scam you're trying to pull..."

He stood up sharply and grabbed my shirt, causing me to glare at him as he spoke. "No, you LOOK, I need her back. She has to go back to where she was if she's alive."

"Get your hands off me," I said shoving him roughly into his seat. "I don't know who the hell you think you are."

"I'm her stepfather!" he snapped. "She has to go back now! Where the hell is she?" he yelled at me causing a scene.

Dr. Cullen had been eating his lunch and saw the altercation and came over. "Is there some way I can be of help, gentlemen?"

"No, Dr. Cullen, this dumbass thinks I'm married and is yelling that he wants to take my wife away, even though she's most likely dead according to him. He's delusional!" I shouted.

Dr. Cullen seemed to catch on. He knew my little one had been through a great deal and anyone from her past was questionable and suspect. "Why don't you tell me who you are?"

The guy looked at Dr. Cullen's calm face and my glaring one. "I'm Phil Dwyer, Isabella's stepfather," he practically snarled.

"Alright. Now could you tell us why you would think Edward was married to her?"

"There was a marriage license registered with her name and this address on it."

I frowned; I knew she had insisted I not take her back to Florida for a reason. I had to get rid of this guy. "I'm sorry, Sir, but someone must have stolen the girl's identification. I'm not married," I said again showing him my ring-free hand. "It looks like they must have taken my name and address off the restaurant website and stole my identity as well," I said rubbing my face, trying to hide my complete hatred for this man. Everything in my gut was telling me he had something to do with my little one's pain. "Could you please give me the information so I can fix this?" I asked.

He frowned and looked like he would be sick. "She's not here?" he asked.

I shook my head no.

"Fucking hell," he said falling back into his seat.

My mother came walking out. "Watch your language, Sir, this is a family establishment," she said pointing a threatening mixing spoon at him. "Edward honey, what's going on?" she asked me.

"This guy says someone stole my identification and got a marriage license." I turned back to him, "Look, buddy, I need that information," I said again. "I'm not married, and I certainly don't want some crazy chick coming after me for alimony, or if I do get married, I don't want her pissed because I'm already 'married' and end up in trouble with the law. Now where did you get the information?"

"It was a private investigator. He'd been coming up dry for months. I threatened him. This may not even be true."

I let out a sigh. "Well, I sure as hell hope not!"

"You sound rather stressed. I'm a psychiatrist; would you care to come down to my office for a chat?" Carlisle asked him.

The guy looked at him as if he was nuts and took off without another word.

Once he was out of there, my mother hooked Dr. Cullen's arm and we all headed up to my apartment, leaving Emmett and Jasper to run the kitchen.

Bella was sweeping the floor when we all came in. She was startled, but I saw she held herself in place and forced a grimacing smile. I pulled her into my arms hugging her because I just needed to hold her for a moment. I hated that someone wanted to take her from me.

I kissed the top of her head and Dr. Cullen got straight to the point. He just said the name Phil Dwyer and my little one ran to the bathroom vomiting and crying hysterically. I knew then that we had done the right thing by sending the bastard away.

A/N thanks for reading please review!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 – Sedated**

**EPOV**

Dr. Cullen went to his car and grabbed a black bag. I didn't know psychiatrists had black bags. I only thought regular medical doctors had black bags, but it turned out I was wrong. He returned with one in tow and produced a large needle. He gave a shot to Bella in her thigh and she went from crying to gasping to snoring in minutes.

I lifted my little one off the ground and put her on her bed. I hoped that she would be alright.

"I'm sorry, Edward, but she was hysterical and most likely wouldn't stop vomiting even if her stomach was empty if she didn't settle down."

I nodded in agreement. I was glad my girl was sleeping. I sat on the bed and rubbed my face. I didn't know how to help her but I knew this guy, Phil Dwyer, was causing her a lot of pain. I wanted to track him down and beat the living shit out of him.

Next thing I knew, I was out the door and on my way to the Keepers Inn. That was the closest Inn that was still in business. I cooled myself down before I stormed in and demanded that Mike tell me where Dwyer was so I could kill him.

We catered the breakfast for Keepers Inn so I knew the owner, Mike Newton, very well. When I walked in, he smiled at me and I forced a smile on my face. "Hey, Mike, I'm looking for a guy named Phil Dwyer."

Before I could say why, he told me where to find him. Thank heavens for Mike being dense.

"He's in number three upstairs," he said pointing the way.

He probably thought I was here on business. "Thanks, Mike."

I had just reached the top of the stairs when I heard Phil yelling. I eased next to the door of his room and eavesdropped.

"Look, I know she must be alive, alright. I'll find her. This was just a dead end," Dwyer growled.

"No, you're going to be a dead end if we don't get the girl back and make some sort of profit," I heard another deep voice say. "Mr. Volturi paid in good faith for a virgin and now he doesn't have one."

"It's not my fault you lost her!" Dwyer snapped.

"Actually, it is. If you would have told us there were extenuating circumstances in her disappearance, we would have been better prepared. As it is, Mr. Volturi sees the loss of the girl and his house as your problem."

"What? No no no, that would have been your problem, you're in charge of the security of that place. It's not my fault you dropped the ball!" Dwyer yelled.

There was a loud, hard thump on the wall next to me. "He wants money now and I'm here to collect."

"I don't have it!" Dwyer whimpered out.

"Well, do you have another daughter to sell?" the man with the deep voice asked.

I wanted to bust in and strangle them both. I knew what had happened to Bella now; she had been sold like property.

"Just my wife, Renee, but she's young and pretty. Take her; take my wife. It should keep Mr. Volturi happy until I get Isabella back," Dwyer bargained making me sick to my stomach as well.

"Let me clear the deal first," the deep voiced guy said. I couldn't hear what he was saying as he talked on the phone but then he spoke again to Dwyer. "Alright, the deal has been cleared. Make sure your wife is home for the pick up tonight."

I heard the door being opened and jumped back out of sight behind a maid's trolley. The door closed and I heard heavy steps in the hallway. I looked out around the stack of towels and saw a large mean looking guy covered in tattoos and a shaved head walking away.

I was about to bust in and beat the crap out of Phil when Mike popped up from out of nowhere. "Did you find Mr. Dwyer alright?" he asked.

I realized if I killed Phil right now, Mike would say I was the last to see him. "Yeah, I'm done here," I said and took off. I needed to talk to someone. Who, I didn't know. I knew Bella's mother was in trouble and I didn't know how to stop it. I had to find a way to save her and not expose my little one at the same time.

I hopped on my bike and sped back to the restaurant, slamming in through the back. Emmett looked at me. "What the hell happened to you? Where have you been? Mom has been calling. She needs you upstairs."

I realized then that my little one needed me. If she woke up and I wasn't there, she would most likely freak out. I took the stairs two at a time and burst through the door.

"Edward! My heavens, Son, are you trying to give us all a heart attack?" my mother shouted. She was holding my girl in her arms and Dr. Cullen was holding a skillet ready to strike me.

"No, I just was in a rush. I wanted to get back to Bella," I said kneeling in front of them. My girl dove right into my arms, sobbing on my shoulder. "When did she wake up?" I asked the doctor.

"About five minutes ago."

"You were gone," she whisper-sobbed into my neck.

"I'm sorry, baby, I just needed to check on something," I lied.

I looked up at the doctor nervously. I needed to tell him what was going on and fast. Someone had to help Bella's mother before she was taken but I didn't want to scare my girl. "Mom, why don't you and Bella make some tea, I need to speak with Dr. Cullen for a moment."

They both looked at me confused as I pulled Dr. Cullen back to my bedroom. I was pacing wildly.

"Do you need something to help with your nerves?" he asked.

"No! Yes, I don't know. I was just at the Keepers Inn and overheard Phil telling someone to kidnap his wife to cover the cost of losing Bella!" I snapped at him.

"What?"

"It's supposed to happen tonight. We have to think of something to stop it!" I said.

Dr. Cullen put his hand on my shoulder. "Edward, I'll handle this. You need to take care of your wife."

"EDWARD!" my mother shouted.

I came out to see the front door wide open and Bella was gone. "Where is she? Where's my wife?" I shouted at my mother.

"She heard you!"

I ran out the door after her. She was already half way down the boardwalk. Thank god she had been such a recluse that she didn't know she was going the wrong way. I hopped on my bike and took off after her, ignoring all the pedestrian signs. I caught up to her quickly and grabbed her. "Bella, it's not safe for you out here."

"My mother!" she sobbed.

"We'll fix it, okay? We'll save her, but we've got to get you out of sight before someone sees you."

I pulled her on my bike in front of me and held her as I rode home. I carried her upstairs and took her to our room. I asked the doc if he would please sedate her again until we fixed this and he did so warily.

I told my mother what was going on and it was decided that Dr. Cullen would make the call. He would be the one to save Bella's mother. We didn't want anything to lead them back to my little one. I had to keep her safe.

A/N thanks for reading please review.


	14. Chapter 14

SM owns it Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 14 That Thing

It had been two days and Dr. Cullen had assured me that Bella's mother was safe. He had received a coded message letting us know she'd arrived at her safe house. Where that was we did not know. We had kept contact to a minimum so as not to alert anyone to Bella's whereabouts. We didn't even let her mother know that Bella was alive. We thought it best that she appeared to be dead.

Dr. Cullen informed us that not only did he warn Renee of her pending abduction, but also the police so they were able to set up a sting and capture the men who were attempting to kidnap Bella's mother. They had a female officer pose as Renee and when they went to drug her and kidnap her, it was all caught on tape. They were going down and would probably help take down others to get a lesser sentence.

It was just the first step in taking down the men that hurt my little one, but it was an important one. I hoped they would be able to contact the local authorities soon and get rid of the lingering yahoos still here.

Bella wasn't happy about not telling her mother she was alive, but bald tattoo guy was still lingering in the area. We couldn't risk any slip ups. I told my mother I would be staying with Bella out of sight in our apartment until he disappeared. Phil Dwyer was still running around town as well. He had been down to public records more than once and came into the restaurant to eat several times. It was as if they were watching and waiting for something. Bald guy was joined by two others and they all seemed to be keeping an eye on Phil. I wished they would make him gator chow already and get the hell out of town.

Dr. Cullen would come for dinner at the restaurant and then come up to visit us and have our session in our living room. I think Bella actually felt more comfortable staying home for the session. She spent a lot of time writing in her notebook and allowed Dr. Cullen to read it all now that it was out that she had been taken to be sold. She didn't, however, have Dr. Cullen reading it out loud. He read some of it out loud, but most of it was silent.

I could tell he was doing his best to keep his face neutral, but his eyes would water occasionally. I just hoped that my Bella would let me read it as well and let me know what had happened to her. She spoke softly to Dr. Cullen and they went over what helped her sleep. She recalled the good night's rest she'd had on the floor with me and Dr. Cullen suggested we change our sleeping arrangements. I was nervous about this because I was a man and sometimes my body reacted in ways I could not control. Basically, I didn't want to scare my little one with my morning wood.

I had pulled Dr. Cullen aside and tried to explain this to him but he didn't seem to get that I didn't want to discuss this in front of Bella. He just turned to her and said, "Bella, you are aware that sometimes men have erections in the morning and have no control over it, correct?"

We both blushed furiously. "Doc!" I hissed at him.

He rolled his eyes at me. "I'm sure she's aware of the medical explanation for the cause of morning erections. It's perfectly normal for a man to get them even when he's not necessarily sexually aroused."

"DOC!" I shouted at him and I felt bad instantly because my yelling caused Bella to jump. "Just...please stop talking about it already!" I pleaded.

I walked over to Bella, who was looking at the floor like it was very interesting. "Bella, honey, I don't think we should change our sleeping arrangements," I murmured to her and hoped that Dr. Cullen's outburst on morning wood would be enough to deter her from changing sleeping arrangements as well.

"You don't want to sleep with me?" she asked softly pouting at me.

I didn't want her to think I didn't want her. "I, um, no, well, yes, I just don't want you to feel…uncomfortable with me?" I said more like a question, not sure if I wanted to discuss this with her.

"I don't feel uncomfortable with you," she said looking into my eyes.

I frowned a little. "And I want to keep it that way. I'm afraid if we shared a bed," I cleared my throat, "parts of me," I motioned downward, "would make you feel uncomfortable and I would never want you to feel that way. Do you understand?"

She let out a sigh and then stepped closer to me. "Because you're so concerned about this whole mess," she motioned downward like I did, "I know I'm safe with you. I won't let that thing scare me off. Okay?"

I didn't think I fully believed her since she referred to my package as 'that thing' but Dr. Cullen had overheard and taken it for agreement. I still was wary about it and figured I would find a way to keep myself from scaring her in my bed. I really didn't think this was a good idea.

I finally got her to agree to use some sleeping bags if we were going to sleep together. She looked at me sadly but didn't protest. I later found out the next day when Dr. Cullen came to visit that it hurt her feelings that I wanted to keep so much distance between us. I really was only doing it for her own good.

My mother started coming up at lunch time and telling me to go serve downstairs. She thought my sudden disappearance was causing Phil to hang around. I went ahead and served him, and I may or may not have put extra chili powder in his food. It did say 'spicy' on the menu. It took everything I had in me not to just beat the shit out of him.

I even went so far as to give the bald guy a free coffee and asked him if he was going to introduce himself to Phil or would he like me to give him his number. He snarled at me and I just backed up with my hands up. "Sorry, dude, but you do stare at him every day. I just thought maybe there was something going on with you two."

At that he got up and stormed out of the restaurant, taking his two goons with him who were both smirking behind bald guy's back.

"Man, how did you get rid of them?" Emmett asked me as I went back to collect my next order. "I was about ready to deck a couple of those baboons for the way they were watching Rosalie."

I shrugged. "I asked bald guy if he wanted me to get Phil's number for him."

Emmett burst out laughing. "That's rich. Maybe they can sell that bastard's ass," he said and then glanced around to make sure Mom wasn't around to hear him swear. "We should visit him when he's in prison and ask him how his butt buddy, Bubba, is doing."

"Can you say that five times fast, Emmett? That's a lot of B's."

"Butt Buddy Bubba, Butt Bubby Budda…"

I started laughing because Rosalie had just walked in with another order and was glaring at Emmett. "Say hi to your friend Bubba," she said as she left and Emmett punched my shoulder.

"You jerk!"

"Hey, I didn't know she was coming in."

She came back a moment later with another order but handed it directly to Jasper. He saw it and smiled and I thought that was weird. Rosalie winked at him and walked out, leaving Emmett speechless and jealous.

I walked over and looked down at the order. It looked like any other. "What's with you and Rose?" I asked.

He looked up from the order and shook his head. "Nothing. Get back to work," he said pointing to the tray of food waiting for me to serve. I usually didn't work out front like this but we needed me to be visible to the douche bags after my girl.

When the order Rosalie gave Jasper directly came up, I was sure to snag it, taking it to the table in question. I also noticed this was an extra large helping and had an extra fancy garnish on it shaped like a butterfly.

I was surprised to see the plate went to Alice Brandon, the owner of the candy shop Emmett lived over. "Hello, Ms. Alice," I said smiling as I placed the dish in front of her. "Will you be needing anything else?"

She looked down at the plate and smiled widely. "Oh, Edward, you tell that sweet chef of yours that he's the best. I just wish I could get him to come out and meet me one of these days," she said pouting a little.

I looked back at the kitchen door. I knew now why Jasper smiled. "He's shy, Alice," I said sliding in across from her. "Has Rose told you anything about him?"

She shook her head no. "Just that he had noticed me one day getting a morning coffee and told Rose to take me one of his pastries on the house. I've tried to get him to come out to meet me but he won't," she pouted and let out a sigh, "But I still come here and every time I do, he makes my order special," she said a little wistfully as she poked at the pretty butterfly garnish. Jasper had really outdone himself this time. He used different berries for designs on its wings. It really was beautiful, which just seemed to prove that he really was smitten with Ms. Alice.

"Ms. Alice, I'm afraid that he hides in the kitchen because he's afraid you won't like what he looks like."

"Oh, silly Edward. Don't you know the best part of the candy is the center?" she said and gently ran her finger down the butterfly wing. "I can see his center is the sweetest in the world."

I wanted to introduce Alice to Jasper but if she flinched or looked away from him even once, he would be crushed. "Alice," I said low in a whisper, "He was burned pretty badly."

Her eyes watered. "Is he okay?"

"Yes, he's fine now, it happened a long time ago but he doesn't like people looking at him," I explained.

She threw her napkin down and stood up. "You take me to him right now."

Rosalie glared at me. I suspected she knew what I was up to and thought Alice would be too shallow to love our friend like we did. I looked at the kitchen door and then back to Alice, trying to think of something to say. But before any words came to mind, she was marching through the kitchen door.

I ran after her and saw Jasper's shocked face at her appearance.

"I'm tired of waiting." She walked over to him and pulled him down, "Now give me some sugar," she said kissing him full on, shocking us all.

Jasper dropped his spatula and Emmett let out a whistle. When they finally pulled apart, Alice was smiling widely. "You're coming to my place for dinner tonight. It's time I returned the favor," she said and kissed his scarred cheek without hesitation.

"Yes, Ms. Alice," he answered her a little stunned.

She headed for the door but then turned around last minute. "Back to work, my boy has a date he can't be late for," she said with a smile. "I'll see you at six o'clock, Jasper, bring an overnight bag," she winked at him and left.

Emmett was guffawing and slapping his knee. "You got your hands full with that one," he said laughing at Jasper.

"Well, at least I'll have my hands full," Jasper said wiggling an eyebrow at my brother.

A/N _**Tomorrows update**_ will probably be a little later in the afternoon because I am going to visit my lovely Beta, Dollybigmomma. Of course good things always come to fruition when we get together so I hope you all stick around to reap the benefits of our twisted minds. Thanks for reading please review.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – Movements

EPOV

It had been two weeks since Bella last left the house. I was surprised she was doing so well but then I remembered that she did well on the ship never leaving my quarters and that was much smaller. She seemed to thrive in confined places, but I also noticed she always stayed far away from the windows. I didn't mention anything to her about it because her staying away from the windows right now was a good thing. I just didn't want her to be afraid. I would never let anything happen to her.

She had been sleeping better and I had been able to keep myself under control before she could wake up and notice anything. It was more than once I had woken up to her wrapped around me and my hand cupping her backside inappropriately. This little girl was killing me. I had to get a hold of myself.

I needed to take my cold morning shower that seemed to be part of my normal routine now, so I made my way out of bed. The covers had slid down a bit, and I did my best to ignore how nicely her little body was filling out now that she had started putting on a little more weight. I was doing my best not to look at her inappropriately but it never failed that when my mother would come with lunch for us, she would point at her eyes and then motion for me to look up.

Bella had breasts. Very nice breasts. They were getting way more pronounced and fuller and damn if her backside wasn't a nice soft round shape that fit perfectly in my nocturnally wandering hands. I heard my mother clear her throat and I quickly looked at her and smiled, kissing her cheek and pulling my eyes away from Bella. Damn her and her beautiful body and curvaceous backside. My hands would just find it in our sleep of their own volition, but I just knew one of these days she was going to find out what a cad I really was and tell me to take a hike. I knew my momma would let her move in with her if she asked.

I let out a sigh.

"What's on your mind, sugar?" my mother asked.

I looked to Bella and then to Esme. "Um, nothing really, I just wished I could take out these jerks and be done with this already."

"I know, honey, but Carlisle is on top of it. He's been passing tips to the authorities and they're listening. Just let them do their work so we don't have to get our hands dirty. You know, I could go for a good hog boiling myself but sometimes we have to let things play out and stick with peanuts instead of pig."

Bella looked at us both thoroughly confused, not understanding a word my mother said. It just made me smile. I leaned over and gave them both a kiss on the head. Maybe my little one would be brave enough to ask what she meant.

I made my way downstairs and saw Emmett glaring at bald guy and his goons. Bald guy was watching Rosalie and Emmett didn't like it. Neither did I. "Phil come in today?" I asked.

"No, not yet, but I don't like those nasties over their looking at my girl."

I looked at him, "Nasties? Really?" That was an odd word choice. "I'll send Rose home."

"No, I want to keep her here where I can keep an eye on her. I don't want her disappearing," Emmett insisted.

I let out a sigh. It was time we let Rose in on what was going on. I put on my apron and got to work. When Rose and I both happened to cross paths in the kitchen, I told her that there was a meeting at my place after work. She looked at me confused and annoyed but I insisted and reassured her that my mother would be there as well. I also invited Jasper. He should know what a risk it was having his Ms. Alice come in. She was a very beautiful girl, too. There were known slave traders here and it looked like they were looking for another mark.

For now, though, I would boil me some peanuts. I looked at the drink orders for the bald guy and the goons and got an idea. I prepared two of the drinks the way they were supposed to be and to the third I added a little of the powerful laxative left over from my mom's colonoscopy prep, not enough to taste, but enough to get things moving. I served the drinks with a smile and gave a wink to the bald guy so he would think I still thought him gay.

I took their order and was pleased to find the one who took the laxative laced drink wanted something spicy so I could give him extra chili pepper on his food and keep refilling his laxative spiked drink until I sent him running to the bathroom.

They were still eyeing Rosalie and Emmett was getting mad. I let him in on my plan to give one of the guys the runs and he decided to help by mixing a little of the laxative into the sauce for his food.

I was hoping if we sent one running the rest would follow.

Emmett saw what I was doing and wanted to get in on it. He didn't like people messing with his girl. Not that Rose was his, but he called dibs on her and since he had the mentality of a first grader, that actually meant something to him.

The guy with the laxative drink took off running for the bathroom and I walked over to the table looking in the direction of the bathroom and then leaned down and whispered, "Did he drink the local water? It tends to upset the tourists," I said, "Even if they use it just to brush their teeth."

Bald guy growled annoyed with me and the other goon looked at the bathroom worried.

That's right, buddy, you're next.

We had a caramel chunk dessert on special and I decided to give them a pie on the house to gum up their teeth with the chewy caramel that I knew they would not be brushing off tonight. From the looks of their teeth, I would venture to guess that they were going to be feeling some serious cavity related pain later.

Emmett came out with a couple of shot glasses and looked over at the bathroom door. "Did they have the local whiskey?" he asked smirking. "You tourists never can handle our liquor."

Bald guy growled. "Give me a shot of your local shit. I can drink anyone under the table!"

I wondered what Emmett was up to as he poured out the shots and lined up a couple for the bald guy and then pulled two more shot glasses out of his apron pocket. "Can't have you drinking alone," he said, pouring himself some from the same bottle. Emmett took his shot and then bald guy took both of his in quick succession. Emmett took his last shot and smiled at the guy. "Looks like you can handle your own. My mistake," he said getting up, "Of course, our stash is the cheap local stuff, if you want the good local stuff that can really burn a hole in your gut, you have got to go down to Sonny's bar and tell him you want a taste of the local flavor. He'll fix you right up," he said and started to head to the kitchen.

It took everything in me to keep a straight face, as Sonny's was the one and only gay bar in town and there was no such thing as 'local liquor,' so if he asked Sonny for a taste of the local stuff, I was sure he would get an interesting surprise.

I made it back to the kitchen and asked Emmett what the shots were and he just smirked and pointed to the laxative bottle.

"I may have put a teaspoon of that in each of his glasses before I went out there. I think he'll find the local whiskey rather hard to stomach in a few minutes."

I brought out their desserts ready to go, as their buddy still had not come out of the bathroom yet. I overheard bald guy talking on his phone as he started rubbing his rumbling gut. "No, the merchandise is not here. I'll see about picking up something to replace what we don't have," he said and I saw him eyeing Rosalie. "I have something in mind that I think will work well for the business. I'll let you know when I've procured it," he said and then looked over at his goon and nodded at him as he hung up.

Their buddy came back from the bathroom looking worse for wear and all three of them stood up to go, throwing down their cash on the table like they did every day. They all filed passed Rosalie but the last goon reached out and grabbed her ass.

Of course, Rose would never stand for such behavior. I should know; I watched Emmett find this out the hard way. Unfortunately for Mr. Goon, she was in the middle of pouring a cup of ice water out of a glass pitcher. She turned and busted it right over his head. "Keep your damn hands to yourself and cool down, asshole!" she snapped and then slapped him with her other hand before she kneed him in the nuts.

"Holy shit!" his buddy said watching his friend crumble to the ground with a few nasty cuts and soaking wet with ice water.

Bald guy glared at the pair. "Get up, you idiot, you're making a scene!" he said yanking soggy goon off the ground. "Just couldn't wait a day could you?" he hissed lowly as he shoved him out the door and that was all the confirmation I needed. I knew they were now planning to kidnap Rose.


	16. Chapter 16

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it, ejoy!

Chapter 16 – Stung

EPOV

The meeting in my apartment didn't go as well as I'd hoped. When Jasper heard what those guys were, he started to leave. Emmett grabbed his arm and asked him where he was going. "To get my gun," was all he said before Alice and Esme were able to get him to take a seat again.

Emmett was livid and ready to get his gun just the same when I told them I had overheard them talking about taking Rosalie. Rosalie surprised us all with her 'who gives a damn' attitude. I thought for sure she would be upset or scared. Carlisle said it was time to get the local police involved. He wasn't going to wait for the Florida people to set up anything. There was just too much paperwork and red tape. It was taking too damn long and we didn't want to lose anyone to these goons while the idiots pushed pencils through the red tape.

Carlisle called down to the local police department and Officer Fife showed up. "Hi, I'm Detective Andrew Fife, what's going on?" he asked sitting down.

"Well, at least he's not Barney Fife," Emmett said but he never had been able to whisper properly so Officer Fife heard him.

"My brother, Barney, is in real estate. He didn't think he would be able to make it through the academy in one piece with his name," he said smiling.

"Oh, well, I'll give him a call if I need to buy some real estate," Emmett laughed.

"You do that. Now, what is this you were saying about human trafficking? I think you might be overreacting because there's no way someone could run a ring like that in this size town and go unnoticed."

"Well, they're not going unnoticed," I said. "They're sticking out like sore thumbs."

Officer Fife rubbed his face. "Well, I did get some papers mentioning something like this might be going on in our area and I needed to look into it."

I let out a frustrated sigh along with Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper. This dude was an idiot!

"Look, we know who they are and we know who their next target is. We need to set up something to catch them like they did in Florida," Carlisle said.

Officer Fife rubbed his face again. "I don't know. We don't really have the resources they have in Florida," he complained and I wanted to beat him!

I just wanted to be done with this idiot and take care of the goons myself so I could get back to helping Bella. It was hard to help her get better and try and get rid of her anxiety when she really did have a legitimate reason to be afraid. The damn slave traders were just short of knocking on our door!

"Look, Officer Fife, how about you leave the set up and take down to me and the boys and you just come to supervise and arrest?" Carlisle suggested.

"Well, I don't know…" he started whining again.

I looked over to see Rose rolling her eyes. "Look, I'm not going down without a fight as it is so I don't know what the issue is here. Either you're going to be there to save me from the damn slave trading rapists or you're not, what's it going to be?" she asked Fife.

Can you believe he still didn't look sure?

"Let me put it in terms you can understand," Rose spoke loud and annoyed. "There will be a domestic disturbance at 143 Magnolia Lane tomorrow night. There may even be shots fired and I guarantee there will be a need for an ambulance, care to join our party?"

"Well, I can't let you all start anything…" Officer Fife started to argue.

"We didn't start it!" Rose yelled at the idiot. "That's my house; people will be breaking into it and trying to kidnap me and I'll for damn sure be defending myself!"

"Look, buddy, why don't you just go and we'll call you when it's time for you to come clean up the mess and fill out the paperwork," Emmett said irritated and opened the door.

Once the door closed behind Emmett muffling Fife's protests of discharging firearms within town limits, Esme surprised us all. "My Lord, he might as well be named Barney Fife because he sure as hell is channeling him. That man was a complete moron!"

"I was wondering what was taking them so damn long to get on top of things," Carlisle said shaking his head. "I think now we know why." He pinched his nose in frustration and looked up at us. "I'm sorry. I obviously had way too much faith in our local law enforcement. Things just went so smoothly when I spoke with them in Florida. I didn't anticipate that mess," he said pointing to the door that Officer Fife had just left through.

"Don't worry, we gotcha covered. It's gun cleaning time," Emmett said and winked at Rose.

She just rolled her eyes. "Alright, so I think we should do as much damage to these idiots as we can before tomorrow so they'll die of internal bleeding or something. There's no way I'm going to trust Officer Fife with holding them. That man is just…" Rose let out a growl.

Emmett smiled wider. I think she was turning him on. I took a step away from him. That was gross. I looked around and realized Bella was still in the bedroom hidden and now I was glad we had decided to keep her existence a secret because that man would surely screw it up and put her at risk.

I opened the bedroom door to find Bella sitting in the corner curled into a ball and trembling. "Oh, my little one," I cooed, feeling bad for leaving her alone when she was obviously upset. I picked her up and like always, she flinched at my touch, but relaxed as soon as she inhaled my scent. "I'm here, you're safe."

"The police are not going to stop them," she whimpered out. I hated that she could overhear that mess.

"It's okay; we're still going to take care of it anyway."

"They used drugs," she whimpered looking up at me terrified. "You can't fight. They use drugs and you can't move. I can't lose you, Edward, please."

I squeezed her tighter in my arms. "I'm not going to be alone like you were. There's going to be a lot of us. They won't be able to hurt me and we'll stop them from ever hurting you again, I promise." I knew I shouldn't have promised that, but the truth was I really wanted to kill those assholes and Phil as well, if he wasn't already dead. He seemed to disappear and it made me nervous not knowing where he was or what he was up to. If he was dead, I would at least like to know where his body was for confirmation so I knew my girl was safe.

I held her in my arms and she listened in as we took a tally of the weapons we had. I was surprised to find Carlisle was an avid collector and had quite a wide range of guns. We would all have at least three loaded weapons on our persons. We would be leaving Bella down at Alice's place along with Alice. We planned on moving her in a large shipping box from the restaurant. Bella didn't like staying behind, I could see it in her eyes, but it was not up for discussion. Momma was insistent on coming and boiling herself some hog as she so aptly put it, and so it would be four of us men, along with Rose and my mother, to fight against the slave traders. I hoped it would be enough.

Once night fell the next day, we made our way down the back alley to Rose's place so we could sneak in and not alert the goon watching her house out front. Rose had called and let us know she saw them there waiting. She got ready for bed, taking a few weapons with her as well. Emmett hid in her closet right by her bed and I hid in the master bathroom connected to her room.  
Carlisle and Esme were in the kitchen pantry ready to warn us if they came in the back door. I hoped to hell Carlisle could keep my momma out of harm's way.

It was just after 2:00 a.m. when the bedroom window slid open. I watched from my dark crack as the idiot helped his buddies through the window. We had decided we wanted them all to be inside the house so there would be no doubt that they were in the wrong. If all else failed, they would at least go down for breaking and entering.

The last goon had a black bag that had a light on inside of it. He was pulling out a needle when Rose sat up. "What the hell do..." Her mouth was covered but instantly released when we heard the zap of her taser. "I said keep your hands off me!" she growled and I heard the taser go a few more times before I heard the closet door swing open.

"Oh, no you don't, you bastard!" my brother yelled and I saw he was going for the guy with the needle. I decided to get the other one. Emmett had used a bat, taking the guy off guard and knocked him out. He then injected him with whatever concoction was in the needle.

The third guy I was going after pulled out a gun. "Enough of this shit! We're taking the girl!" he said pointing the gun at all three of us. We all stared at him stunned and then we heard the cocking of a gun and the lights flipped on.

"You'll not be taking the girl anywhere," my mother said. She was the one that turned on the lights. Carlisle had a gun pressed against one of the goon's heads and bald guy was on the ground drugged, while the third guy being tased earned the nickname twitchy.

Someone rang the door bell. "Rose dear, would you mind answering your door? Take Esme with you. She's armed and I know she knows how to handle a weapon," Carlisle said with a smile I didn't quite approve of.

A few moments later, several men filled the room and Carlisle handed his gun over smiling. I was confused at first but then saw FBI in big yellow letters on their backs.

We all let out a sigh of relief and I looked around to see Carlisle talking and Officer Fife was just outside the window getting chewed out by some big guy. I almost felt bad for him, almost.

"I'm sorry we didn't get here any sooner, we drove straight through after we received your call," one of the agents spoke to Carlisle.

"We're just glad you're here now and can take care of this. I hope you understand; we're not vigilantes, we just couldn't stand for our friend to be taken."

"Of course not. I'm sorry it came to that," he shot a glare out the window toward Officer Fife's car.

Just then I saw movement out of the corner of my eye.

"Watch out!" Emmett shouted.

Bald guy had enough strength left to reach for his gun that he left by his black bag and was about to point it toward Rose.

Emmett jumped on him, knocking the gun out of his hand. "You damn son of a bitch, you stay down so they can arrest your stupid ass!" Emmett yelled as he punched bald guy in the face a couple more times.

Emmett was doing some serious damage and two agents were trying to pull him off of the guy when Rose walked up and tased him. He looked up at her shocked, literally.

"Just move him to my bed please. I'll take care of him," Rose said with a smirk.

I didn't know what Rose had in store for my brother, but I was a little afraid for him.

After taking several of our statements, they escorted us to go find Bella so they could get a statement from her as well.

We knocked several times and there was no answer. I finally got tired of waiting and just opened the door. I was shocked by the scene before me. Jasper went flying to Alice who was lying on the floor like she was dead. There was so much blood everywhere, and no sign of my little one.

**A/N: Oh, look how mean I am and you have no idea what the hell is going on! Review and tell me how pissed you are at me for leaving you hanging like that! I promise I will be updating tomorrow with the answers.**


	17. Chapter 17

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.**

**Chapter 17 – Rabbit's Hole**

**EPOV**

We looked around the room shocked. One of the FBI agents grabbed my shoulder, stopping me from entering and looking around. "Careful, we need to collect evidence."

I nodded still in shock. "Bella!" I shouted. "Bella, baby, where are you!" I yelled frantically since they wouldn't let me search the place for her.

They called the coroner for Phil and an ambulance for Alice. She looked pretty beat up and still hadn't come to, but she had a pulse.

Bella was missing. I was furious with myself. I should have realized that there had to be another man that they were working with, or for someone else. I had missed it and now my girl was missing. The agents searched the whole place, but Bella was not there.

She was gone.

I called my mother sobbing, barely able to get out what had happened and she hurried over and drove me home. We hoped that Bella would have gone home and hidden there, but she was nowhere to be found.

Jasper called from the hospital. Alice had been pretty badly beaten but would be fine and would eventually make a full recovery. The doctors were keeping her knocked out because of the pain and I was frustrated. I wanted her to tell me what had happened to my little one.

What happened to my girl!

Jasper asked us to bring some of Alice's things down, and so my mother and I went back to her apartment. My mother gasped at the sight of the blood everywhere. They had removed the body and taken what evidence they needed, leaving the mess for us to clean up.

"I'm going to get started on this. Alice will be in no shape to deal with this when she comes home," my mother said grabbing a mop.

I flopped down on the couch and started to cry. My mother made her way over. "Oh, Edward, honey, it's going to be alright. We'll find Bella. She's got to be around here somewhere. Maybe she's just hiding?"

Hiding. Hiding?

"HIDING!"

My girl could hide!

"Bella!" I said with renewed hope. "Please, baby, please come out. It's safe, everyone is gone, and it's just me and Esme now, little one."

My mom was surprised when I started looking in the air vents, but I knew my girl. I popped open the intake air vent, knowing she had put on some weight and would need a larger space. I gasped in relief.

I pulled my girl out. She was shaking violently and fought me at first, but once her face hit my shirt, she relaxed and clung to me sobbing.

"I've got you, baby, I have you, little one, you're safe now, and I promise I'm never leaving you again," I whispered as I held her a little too tight, rocking her and kissing her head. I couldn't believe I found her.

"Edward, honey, why don't we take her home and I'll take Alice the things she needs," my mom offered.

I nodded okay and carried my Bella to the car, climbing into the back seat with her still in my lap. I was not putting her down. My mom didn't seem upset by this, either, and took us back to my place. I asked her to please call Carlisle so he could come help Bella out. She was in desperate need of a sedative. I hoped with some rest, she would be able to tell us what happened.

I knew it would do no good to ask her now because she was white fisting my shirt and hiding her face in my chest as she cried. I knew I was right to ask for Carlisle to come because as soon as we got home, Bella ran for the bathroom vomiting.

When her body started to slow down a little, I started telling her the good news. "Phil is dead and the three guys that wanted to take Rose are gone. The FBI stepped in at the last minute. You're finally safe, honey," I said rubbing her back.

She continued to sob softly, still trying to pull herself together when Carlisle knocked on the door. He had his black bag already. I was sure my mother told him what was needed. "This should help her sleep for the night. I'm so relieved you found her safe. I don't think I would have forgiven myself if I found someone had taken her," he said as he injected her with something. I carried her over to the bed, tucking her into her sleeping bag.

"You and me both," I let out a sigh rubbing my face.

"Long day," Carlisle said.

"I'm glad it's all finally over."

"Where did you find her?" he asked.

I looked over my shoulder at her and smiled. "In one of her favorite hiding spots," I said vaguely and then yawned.

"Well, I hope she's feeling better in the morning. The FBI agents said they didn't need her testimony to convict the three guys that were in town after they found out she had disappeared again. They got enough on them just by going through their hotel rooms and catching them in the act of going after Rose. I think it would be best if we leave everyone thinking she's still missing for now, though. Hopefully, Bella can truly put this behind her now."

"I hope so, too," I said then wished him a good evening. I agreed with him on keeping her being found from everyone. We didn't need the wrong person getting the information and coming for her again. I wanted her to feel safe. I wanted her to get better. I hoped she would be able to put this behind her now. "I really hope so," I mumbled more to myself.

I got ready for bed and snuggled down into my sleeping bag next to Bella. Even in her sleep, she knew I was there because she immediately wrapped herself around me and buried her face in my chest. I let out a sigh and kissed her head. "I've got you, little one. I'm here, you're safe," I whispered.

When I woke up the next morning, I was surprised to find that not only had she climbed into my sleeping bag, but she was snuggled as far down in it as possible. Her face was resting on my belly button and I was thanking god that I had been too tired and overstressed to have a morning woody poking her in the chin.

I carefully unzipped the sleeping bag and pulled her up my on chest. I was surprised to find she was awake and crying softly. "Hey, little one, I've got you. You're safe now," I said kissing her head softly and wrapping her up.

"I can't make breakfast," she whimpered out.

"It's okay, I can make it," I said.

She shook her head no. "I tried. I couldn't go out of the room," she sobbed into my chest.

I held her to my chest as I sat up with her in my arms. "Hey, it's okay to be afraid. You've been through a lot," I said rocking her.

Her stomach growled and I realized she probably hadn't eaten for two days now. "Come on, little one. Do you think you could come with me to the kitchen?" I asked.

She nodded her head yes and I lifted her, carrying her to the kitchen in my arms. I set her on the chair in our dining area that faced the kitchen. I kissed her forehead and looked her in the eyes. "Will you be alright sitting here while I get us some food?" I asked.

She nodded yes shyly.

I hugged her and kissed the top of her head. I was just so relieved to have her back that I didn't want to let her go, either. It would take time but we would get back into our routine.

I whipped us up some eggs and bacon and then set them in front of her with a cup of milk. She smiled at me softly and whispered, "Thank you."

We ate in silence and I wondered; where did we go from here? My little one needed so much help and I didn't know what to do for her. I guess I would have to have Carlisle come over and talk to her, but before I could suggest it, she got up and cleared our plates and then grabbed her notebook and sat on the couch to write. When I stood up, her eyes locked on my movement instantly and I knew she wasn't going to let me out of her sight.

I was okay with that because I wasn't ready to let her out of my sight, either.

**A/N: So, I'm guessing you all forgot how well Bella can hide! I wasn't going to put her through being taken again, that would just be cruel. Anyways, thanks for reading and please review.**


	18. Chapter 18

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 18 – Laid Up

EPOV

Bella was still a mess and I was finding that so was I. I realized when she went to the bathroom that I was freaking out a little because I couldn't see her. I knew I had to pull myself together. My mom definitely needed help in the kitchen since Jasper was out taking care of Alice. As far as Emmett helping, well, my momma put it so well. "He has the attention span of a chicken with ADHD when Ms. Rosalie is serving. He's really good for nothing in her presence, unless I want to know exactly what bra Ms. Rosalie is wearing today, which I don't."

I guess Rose finally caved. Emmett came to see me after he recuperated and had an expression on his face like he had seen God. He was barely able to get out that momma wanted to see me and I wondered if that taser had fried his brain.

Bella and I made it down to the kitchen. She found a quiet corner in the storage room and left the door open so she could watch me move around the kitchen. Every time I looked over at her, I just wanted to stop what I was doing and take her in my arms. She just looked so small and scared. I wanted to hold her and make it better, but Carlisle told us that getting back into our routine would be good for both of us. I wasn't sure I agreed with him but he had given Bella an extra bottle of pills to take if it started to be too much.

Emmett wandered around dazed, making mistakes left and right. Finally, I just snapped after he mixed the gravy in with the whipped cream. "Emmett! Dude, what the hell happened to you?" I said taking the horrid mixture away. Maybe Momma could come up with a new recipe to salvage it.

He looked at me and smiled at me as if I didn't even yell at him. "It was amazing. I know you hear about it in the locker rooms and you think about it, but damn, Edward. I couldn't even begin to imagine it until Rosie…" he said with an awed look on his face.

"What the HELL did she do to you?"

"Heaven is more like it. She's a goddess, an angel. Edward, I swear, I never thought it would be as good as that, but I was wrong. She is heaven."

I looked at him confused and so he leaned in whispering, "We did it. I was out on the bed and next thing I knew, I was stripped to nothing and she was all over me. She took me to heaven, Edward, she's a freaking angel!"

Just then, Rose walked in and smiled as she caught him talking about her. She walked over and kissed his cheek and slapped her order on the counter and walked out. I picked it up and got to work on it.

"How come you didn't tell me?" Emmett frowned.

"Tell you what?" I asked confused.

"That sex is so great. I mean it was amazing! Jesus, Edward, I waited all this time and I've seriously been missing out."

"Yeah, but Emmett, do you really think it would have been that good with anyone other than Rose?" I asked.

He smiled softly. "No. No, I'm glad she was my first. She's just…"

"Amazing, an angel, I know," I said cutting him off.

Emmett laughed and punched my shoulder. "So, is it like that with you and Bella?" he asked me.

I looked at him as if he was nuts. "Emmett! I told you, it wasn't like that! We aren't doing…that. She's just a baby for god sakes, and a quivering mess most the time. There's no way I would ever take advantage of her like that, you sick bastard."

"Hey, sorry, man, I just thought…I mean you guys have been married for a while now. I just figured maybe you'd been enjoying being normal newlyweds."

I let out a huff and glanced over to where Bella was hiding. I saw her folded in on herself, her body shaking, and I knew she was crying now. "Damn it, Emmett, just…no. I have to take care of my girl; you're on your own. I'll be back for the lunch rush," I said making my way over to my little one.

"Come here, baby girl," I said taking her up in my arms. It broke my heart when I saw the look in her eyes. She looked so hurt. I cradled her to my chest and carried her to our apartment. "I've got you, little one," I said kissing the top of her head and making our way to our room. I didn't know what upset her, but I hoped I would be enough to make it better.

Jasper called and invited us over to his place. He had Alice staying with him so he could take care of her and he didn't plan on letting her out of his sight, either. Alice had wanted to see Bella as soon as she woke up, but Bella was too scared to leave the house at the time, and we later found out during a session she was afraid that Alice would be mad at her.

I called and let them know what the problem was and Alice was a mess of sobbing tears, promising she wasn't upset with her at all.

I was finally able to coax my little one into my mother's car so I could take her to Jasper's place.

He answered the door with a smile, and I hoped that I would get some more answers. As far as I could make out from the sessions with Dr. Cullen, Bella had heard someone coming up the steps that sounded like Phil and she freaked out and hid after telling Alice not to answer the door. I hoped Alice could fill the rest of it in for us.

Jasper led us over to his living room where Alice was propped up. She had casts on her leg and on one arm. Her bruises were lightening up and she still had a perky smile. "Oh, Bella, I'm so glad you're okay. I was so scared that I'd missed and he took you," she sobbed and pulled Bella over, wrapping her good arm around her and burying her face in her neck. "I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you. I was so sure that we were safe. I didn't think anyone could figure it out."

"What happened?" I finally asked Alice.

Jasper glared at me and Alice smiled softly at us. "She knew it was him. She recognized the sound of his walk. I guess he had a bit of a limp. I thought we were safe. I'm so sorry, Edward."

"Don't be. I'm glad to know that Phil won't be bothering us anymore. Though I wish it was me that had done the honors."

Alice smiled sadly. "I wish it was you, too."

I instantly felt bad. It had to be difficult for Alice to deal with the fact that she had taken someone's life. Bella leaned over and kissed her cheek and hugged her again, tighter this time. Alice smiled up at her. "I really am so happy to see that you're safe, Bella."

"So what happened? You opened the door, and then how did you end up like this?" I said motioning to her cast.

"Well, I told him I didn't know what he was talking about. He knew you guys had moved Bella in the box and was doing his best to try and get me to admit it, but I swore I had only bought some stuff for my store. I hoped Bella wasn't hiding in it because he pushed me back and stormed in, looking for the box she was moved in. He found it and went nuts. He was sure she was there because it was empty and I couldn't have unloaded it all that fast. That was when he started getting rough with me, telling me if I didn't give him back his..." She stopped and looked at Bella, and I realized Bella most likely heard it all. Bella gave her a slight nod telling her to go on. "He said if I didn't give back his whore he would take me instead to take her place."

Jasper and I sucked in a breath. I had a feeling she had left that little tidbit out when she had told Jasper what happened.

"I didn't know where Bella was but I was glad he wasn't able to find her. He pulled out a gun and started waving it around, saying he was going to take me instead, and I told him there was no way in hell I was going anywhere with him. He went to grab me and when he was close enough, I grabbed his gun and we struggled. It went off, and the kick back from it firing snapped my arm back, breaking it," she said motioning to her arm. "He was still reaching out for me and I was still trying to get away from him as he was falling. I was scrambling backwards when I tripped over the stuff we had knocked off the shelf during our struggle. I snapped my ankle and hit my head on the door jam, knocking myself out. When I woke up, I was in the hospital with Jazzy there waiting for me. He told them he was my fiancé," she said beaming.

Jasper actually blushed.

"As soon as I get this damn cast off, he's getting me a ring!" she squealed. "We're getting married!"

I looked at Jasper and he was smiling widely but still trying to hide it, and the fact that he was a deep red. Bella leaned over and kissed Alice's cheek.

"Bella, I want you to be in the wedding party. Jasper and I have discussed it and we want both you and Edward to stand with us."

Bella looked worried for a moment and then smiled softly.

"It's going to be a while from now, so I'm hoping you would be doing well enough for it?" Alice asked.

Bella smiled teary eyed and nodded yes and hugged her again. I was glad my girl had another thing to look forward to once she started feeling better.


	19. Chapter 19

**Wow, I only got like 8 reviews last chapter. I must have really pissed some of you off. Well, on with the show, and hopefully I can grab your attention again.**

**Warning: there is mention of rape. You know what, I will put a little note by it so you can skip the paragraph if you are sensitive, K? I love all my readers and never want to hurt or upset anyone.**

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it!**

**Chapter 19 – Bella, meet Woody**

**EPOV**

Sessions with Carlisle were getting more intense. We somehow decided to keep them at the apartment and it had gotten to a point where Bella was now talking to Carlisle on her own. Granted, I was in the bedroom where they could call me if things got to be too much for her, but I didn't think I liked the whole 'out of the way' sessions. I guess I was a little jealous that Dr. Cullen was getting to learn my girl's history and I still felt like I was in the dark.

Dr. Cullen had noticed my pouting and asked me if I wanted to talk to him. I said no and just told him that I wished I was learning more about Bella like he was in the sessions. I didn't like being shut out.

He frowned and said that he couldn't share what was in the sessions and Bella needed to get through this on her own, but I should talk to her about how I was feeling.

How I was FEELING! I was not a freaking girl! I was not going to talk to her about my FEELINGS!

He must have said something to her because when I snuggled down into my sleeping bag, she passed me her notebook. It was open towards the middle and she pointed out the part she wanted me to read.

"Dr. Cullen said it would be good for us if I shared some of this with you. I picked an easier section; please don't read it out loud. I don't want to hear it," she whispered and slid down in her sleeping bag with her back to me.

I looked at her stunned for a little while, not sure what to say, but decided to quickly take the chance I had been given before she took it back.

'_They say my mom is safe but I don't know for sure. I hope that I will be able to see her one day. I miss her even if she was the one to marry that man that got us all into this, she just didn't know any better. He was a con. I could see it, but she could not. That was just the way she was, head always in the clouds, seeing the best in everyone. I wonder if she is still like that or if she has changed. I kind of hope she hasn't. I want her to see good in me if she ever sees me again.'_

My heart broke again. How could she not see good in Bella? That was all she was, good and innocent. I watched her snuggle down into her pillow and I then read on.

'_I miss my father. The scene in my head just keeps replaying and I keep wishing that I saw wrong but I know I didn't. I know he is dead. I watched as they killed my father, taunting him with what they were going to do to me first. He died not knowing I was safe and I hate that. I hope he can see me now and know that I am safe and in good hands with the McCarty's.'_

That broke my heart. I had lost my dad, too, but to see him tormented before he died just had to be horrible. I hoped wherever her father was now, he could see she was happy and safe with me.

'_Edward is so beautiful. Sometimes it hurts to be with him and know he doesn't see me as a woman, but only a child. I see how he cares for me and it is impossible for me to hate him. How can you hate a man who lets his life revolve around you? He still watches me. Even when he is busy trying to cook or work he will glance at me every twenty seconds, sometimes less if I make any sort of noise. I don't think he notices it. I know his family doesn't notice it. If an outsider came into the kitchen, they would think he has a nervous tick, not realizing that he is too busy worrying about me to notice himself looking around for me. I look for him, too. I counted and I can't stop looking at him for more than ten seconds. It hurts to look away and not see him. I am not sure why. Dr. Cullen wants to do sessions alone and it scares me but I want to be better and I need to be able to talk to Dr. Cullen about Edward as well. Besides, there are some things Edward doesn't need to hear. I don't want him to forever see me as a scared child. I'm not a child!'_

That was where she had asked me to stop. I was so tempted to keep going. I wanted to know more. I wanted more answers, to get inside her mind, but I couldn't betray her like that. She trusted me. I would not betray that trust. I closed the book and handed it over to her. She didn't look at me. I just pulled her back against me and finally after a few minutes, she rolled over in my arms. I kissed the top of her head. "Thank you for sharing that with me," I whispered.

She didn't say anything, just snuggled into me so she could sleep.

She did the same thing the next night as well, and so we fell into a routine of each night she would give me her notebook and point out a small section I could read. It wasn't in order and I didn't think even if I read it in order that it would make any more sense. They were just thoughts she jotted down at the time, just as random as anyone's mind would be, some more important than the others, but all were a little peek into her mind.

She would not look at me as I read them and she would not say a word. It was understood that I not read them out loud and I could tell she was skipping some parts on purpose because they mentioned me. I could see my name in pen on the underside of the page leaking through and it was tempting to want to just turn it and see what she thought of me, but I knew better than to betray her trust like that. I didn't want her to see what I had done and never share her book with me again, so I stuck to what she had given me and hoped that she would turn the page one day on her own.

Tonight's entry was about Emmett and it made me smile.

'_Emmett reminds me so much of Felix, my old guard. Both are huge and have dark hair and blue eyes. From the back, one might mistake one for the other, but when Emmett turns around, there is a softness in his eyes that Felix never had. He smiles and it make me think that somehow he is still a child. There is an innocence in the way he approaches everything and I wondered about it. Then I see him in Ms. Rosalie's presence. He lights up and one might think he would actually take flight the way he glides after her. His focus is sure and his love for her very apparent. It makes sense now. I wondered why she was always so distant from him, but now as I look at her, I can see that she has loved him for a long time, she just didn't trust that he loved her the same. I guess something good has come out of the insanity that follows me.'_

I wondered who Felix was and wished there was a way to find out more about him. She didn't say much but I recalled that she stopped Dr. Cullen from reading more about him once. I hoped he didn't hurt her.

I glanced down at what she had written, where I had left off and smiled at what she'd observed in Rosalie. I was worried she might hurt my brother but I was glad someone could see she loved him, too. I ran my finger down to where my place was and started to read again.

'_I wish my life was quiet and normal, that I could still be here living the life I have but as a normal happily married woman.' _

That surprised me. I would have thought she hated that she had to give her freedom up to me at such a young age. I glanced at her soft form. Her breathing had slowed and she was asleep next to me. She was so beautiful. I felt guilty at times strapping her to me with a faux marriage. It was real and legally binding, but I did my best to treat her more like a little sister than my wife. I didn't want to take advantage of her. I was scared that one of these days, she would notice that my looks were not always innocent and that sometimes I really wished she could be mine, but then I remembered, she was just a child and I was supposed to be trying to help her. My guilt usually killed whatever desire I had boiling for her.

I pressed on, reading what she had given me for the night.

'_I wish Edward would stop referring to me as little one. I know I am small in stature, but I am a woman none the less. If he took me now, would I not bare his children? Would I not call out his name in the heat of passion? Would I not love him like a wife should? He just can't get past the notion that I am a little girl. I wonder if I had waited to reveal my age until I was eighteen, would he have seen me in a different light, or will he always see me as the little seventeen year old girl hiding in his quarters? _

_**Skip this paragraph if you are sensitive, my loves.**_

'_Of course, even now as I complain about it, I realize I could not be a good wife. The thought of losing my virginity is terrifying. Not because the act itself would hurt, but because that was the only thing that saved me when I was taken. I was pure and therefore prime merchandise. I was left untouched so that they could get the highest bid for me. Marcus would come in and stare at me as he touched himself, just looking at me, saying the thought of the millions he would be making off me got him off. He would scare me, but he never touched me and I thank god for that. I thank god that at home, I was quiet and plain and never dated because if I made friends, if I'd had a boyfriend, if I had lost it like the girl in the cell next to me, I am sure they would have used me like they used her. I still hear her screaming sometime and wake up terrified, realizing that is was just me screaming. It has gotten better now that Edward lets me sleep with him, even if it is in ridiculous sleeping bags. I guess it could have been worse. I could have been found by someone who would make me pay for staying with them, in ways I am not ready for yet. Of course, the fact that Edward is so sweet and understanding kind of makes me feel ready sometimes.'_

I sat looking at her stunned. That was the end of the entry. I should have closed the book, but that last paragraph was so loaded. So much was said. It was the first time I had ever really heard what had happened to her and I was silently thankful that she was a virgin, but at the same time, I wanted to kill this Marcus dude. I hoped Carlisle was taking the names to the FBI so they could nail the bastard. I would have to ask him about that.

I glanced down at the last line again, shocked at what it said. I made her feel ready at times? When were these times? Was I making her feel pressured? I hoped she knew I didn't expect anything from her. I didn't expect her to ever give herself to me. I knew she had issues. I hoped my inappropriate feelings for her didn't make her feel obligated to me. I would never ask that of her.

I closed the notebook and set it on the bedside table. I snuggled down into my sleeping bag and pulled her back against my chest like I did every night. I kissed her head and inhaled her sweet scent and then chastened myself for it. I lay back, going to sleep with thoughts of her ruling my mind.

What I awoke to the next morning was shocking. My dream was vivid and my voice woke me as I moaned Bella's name. It was then my mind registered what my body was doing and I quickly woke myself up before Bella could hear my moaning in my dream. I had to wake up and take care of the morning woody I knew would be waiting for my attention.

I started to stir and realized I was pinned down. I was mortified. My little one was in the bottom of my sleeping bag again with her face just inches from my straining cock. I was in a near panic when I felt her move. Her arm brushed over it as she wrapped it around my waist and I bit back a moan. How the hell was I supposed to get out of this mess without her knowing what was going on in my shorts? She shifted her body, brushing up against it and the next thing I knew, it was caught between her breasts. Her beautiful breasts that drew my attention so much. Oh, God, I had to stop thinking about that. I had to figure out what the hell I was going to do. My mom would kill me if she found out about this. I couldn't let Bella wake up. I didn't want to traumatize her more.

Then she started moving up my body, dragging herself up my cock and causing me to moan against my will. Her little body squirmed against me and I silenced myself by panting, trying to get myself under control. She nuzzled into my neck and pulled her leg up over my cock, brushing against it again. I grabbed her, holding her tight against me in hopes to get her to stop moving. Heavens, please stop moving. I didn't want to lose it with her in the sleeping bag. Of course if I did, I could just say I wet myself. I scratched that thought and tried to think of things to make it go down. The fact that she was squirming against me and then moaned my name into my neck was not helping!

I choked back a moan and calmed my breathing. I had to wake her up and maybe I could get to the bathroom before she could see what was going on in my shorts. "Bella?" I called.

"Hmm?" was her answer, her eyes still closed. I was sure she was still asleep.

"Bella?" I said again gently trying to wake her in a calm way. I didn't want her to be startled and then find my cock poking her and freak out even more.

She nuzzled and squirmed more into me. Her lips brushed against my neck as she whined, "Just a few more minutes, Love."

I stopped the moan, but my chest bounced as I caught my breath, waking her a little more. Her nose nuzzled up to my ear. "You okay?" she whispered. "Am I crushing you?"

"No," I squeaked out like a fourteen year old going through puberty. I closed my eyes embarrassed.

She shifted her body over mine, straddling my hips, my cock right up against her intimately, and I wondered if she knew what it was. She sat up looking down at me confused. Nope, she had no clue what it was.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

I closed my eyes and held back a moan as she moved around. "I'm fine," I squeaked again.

"You don't sound fine," she said looking down at me confused.

"I just, um, need to go to the bathroom?" I said. I did need to go so I could get rid of this mess.

She lifted her hips off of me which was the worst thing she could have done. From her perch on me, her shirt sagged, exposing her full breasts and my cock snapped up along her body, crossing the promised land. I was going to die. I moaned and closed my eyes, fighting against my body and wishing I was already in the cold shower.

I would have never imagined her doing what she did next. I felt her hand grab me. "Oh, OH!" she said and scrambled off of me. Her damn hand had made it all worse. I sat up, pulling the sleeping bag tight around me, hiding my problem.

"I'm so sorry," she said.

What? She was sorry because I had morning wood? "What? Why are you sorry? This isn't your fault. We talked about this. This was why I wanted to stay in separate sleeping bags," I groaned feeling so embarrassed that I was discussing my morning wood with her.

"I'm sorry," she said again.

She was making me feel like a jerk. "There's nothing for you to be sorry for."

"I was in your sleeping bag. I probably didn't help that," she pointed to my crotch.

I laughed and scrubbed my face. "It all depends on what you consider helping," I shook my head. "I'm going to go take a cold shower," I said trying to escape this conversation. She didn't stop me.

I guess she was just as embarrassed as I was.

A/N okay my Loves, please review.


	20. Chapter 20

Sorry this is short and it took so long to get to you but my Beta and I had the pleasure of rolling black outs today. Fun times, not. So as usual, SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 20 – Going Nuts

EPOV

After that morning debacle, Bella stayed in her own sleeping bag. She kept an unspoken distance between us and I felt ashamed of myself. I was also pissed at Dr. Cullen because this was all his fault! Him and his 'go ahead and sleep with her, it'll be good for her.' Yeah, right. I was sure I set her back months in therapy with one morning wood.

She hadn't offered me her notebook again since then, either. I feel like I'd lost her and I didn't know what to do about it. I didn't know how to fix it. I had told her I was sorry, but how could I take that back? I couldn't erase that mess from her mind and she didn't seem to want to. The distance didn't seem to bother her like it did me.

I noticed this morning that her notebook was no longer red; it was now blue. "What happened to the red one?" I asked and she looked up at me confused.

"The notebook, the red one, what happened to it? This one is blue."

She rolled her eyes. "I filled it. This is my new one."

"So what happened to the other one?" I asked worried that she'd burned it and I would never get a peek into her head again.

She reached behind her and pulled it out from behind her. I looked at her confused as she slipped it under the new notebook she had been writing in. It just emphasized how much more I was missing and didn't know. It was all sitting in front of me but I couldn't read it, and it was starting to drive me nuts. It wasn't mine to take and she wasn't offering it to me.

I rubbed my face frustrated at her silence. I was slowly losing my mind over this whole mess. She went back to her writing and I plopped down into the kitchen chair across the room. I wanted her to open up to me. I wanted her to tell me I didn't damage her and that she still felt safe with me. I let out a defeated sigh.

She looked up at my sad face and grimaced. "It's nothing you'd want to read, Edward."

"How do you know that? If it's about you, I want to read it," I complained.

She shook her head at me. "I don't want to cause any more…problems…for you," she glared at my pants and got up and walked out.

I felt like a perverted jerk. I heard the springs of the bed squeak and decided to get this over with. "You knew that it would happen! I warned you! I didn't want this," I complained as I stormed into the bedroom, where I saw she had tears in her eyes.

"Don't you think I know that? I know you don't want me, Edward, okay? You've made that quite clear, so please just drop it. Don't rub it in," she muttered, getting up and moving to the bathroom and locked the door.

I stared dumbfounded at it, not sure what just happened. I think I am missing something.

There was a knock at the door and it was my mother asking for us to come help in the kitchen. I told her we would be down in a few moments and tried and think of a way to get Bella out of the bathroom. I decided just telling her the truth would work best. I knocked lightly on the door, and before she could speak to acknowledge me, I called out to her, "My mother just stopped by to ask if we could help her in the kitchen."

The door opened and she pushed past me. Her face was down and I was dying to see her eyes just so I could get an idea of what the hell was going on.

She wiped her nose and I knew she had been crying, I just was not sure why.

"Bella, please," I pleaded but I was not sure for what. I guess just answers. I hated seeing her upset.

Her sad eyes looked up at me. "How long are we going to be married?" she asked and I stood shocked for a moment. My brain didn't quite comprehend her words. It didn't want to.

"I, I, um…"

"How long are you going to do this?" she motioned to the apartment. "You don't want me, Edward. When will you be wanting to get on with your real life and stop pretending with me? How much time do I have left?"

My face scrunched in confusion, trying to understand what she was saying, but my heart didn't want to hear it. I didn't want her to leave me. I didn't know when or how, but she had become the most important thing in my life and I didn't think I could handle her leaving me. This realization was shocking and I stood there mute, trying to make sense of everything in my head.

She closed her eyes and shook her head at me before she headed out the door annoyed with me. I didn't know how to fix this. I didn't want her to leave, but at the same time, she was just a child at the beginning of her life. It was selfish of me to hold her back. If she wanted to leave, I should let her go. I told my mother I would. I guess, I just didn't realize at the time that it would hurt so much.

When I made it into the restaurant kitchen, Bella was already elbow deep into the dishes and my mother was glancing at her worried. When her worried eyes found my stressed face, she frowned. She walked over, hugged me, and said, "Whatever it is, sugar, you two need to talk it out."

I nodded but still needed my space. Last thing I needed was two women hen pecking me. I grabbed an apron and decided to take the floor. I was bussing tables when I noticed a pair of large men walk in. I wouldn't have thought twice about them but I almost mistook one of them for Emmett, until he turned around. The other man with him was well dressed and when Rosalie seated them, he spoke with a thick foreign accent.

I went back into the kitchen, trying to figure out what to do. If these guys were after my Bella, I needed to get her out of here, but I didn't want to freak her out for nothing. I might just be paranoid now after everything that had already happened. My mother noticed my worried look, and I nodded for Emmett to go out and check on Rose. If they were after Bella, we didn't want them picking up a spare.

"What's going on, sugar?" my mother finally asked.

I pulled her aside and looked to make sure Bella was occupied. "There are some strangers here. I think they're here for Bella."

"What makes you think that?" she asked.

"I just do, okay?" I growled.

She frowned. "Why don't I call Carlisle?"

"Fine, you call him, and tell him to call his FBI buddy, too," I said sharply still trying to keep it down.

Bella heard anyway and looked up at me worried. She walked over drying her hands and stood silently waiting. She didn't have to say a word; her eyes broke me down. "I think you should go home or something, little one. There are strangers here I don't trust."

Her eye narrowed and I let out a sigh. I was actually grateful when Rose came in and complained that they were creepy. She put in their order and Bella walked over to the fryer. I was worried that she would burn herself on the oil but she just dipped the ladle and dripped a little bit over both plates once they were prepared. She nodded as she handed them to Rosalie and went into the pantry to hide. I found her popping one of Dr. Cullen's anxiety pills and then she closed her eyes, as if she was waiting for something. She was just sitting on a flour sack, staring at the container of peanut oil we used in the fryer. I didn't know what she did, but after a few moments, I knew.

There were screams and yelling to call 911 from the dining hall. She closed her eyes and started sobbing. I pulled her into my arms. "You did that, didn't you?" I said.

She nodded her head yes. "Peanuts. He's allergic to peanuts," she said and I quickly pulled her up into my arms and got out of there with my girl. We hurried to our place upstairs and I locked the door. We listened as the ambulance came for the man. I wanted to know who he was. I needed to know. I wanted to go beat the shit out of him.

I put a call in to Dr. Cullen and told him what was up. He said he would try and get his contact to run the fingerprints off of their dinnerware. Hopefully, they would get a hit and would be able to get rid of them before they would have a chance to return.

I didn't know who they were, but I was ready for them to be gone.

A/N Thank you for all the reviews. I read them all and loved them. I hope I didn't sound like a review whore. I usually don't beg but my last chapter pulled 26 reviews so you see my shock when I only got a few the chapter before that. I was worried I pissed you all off and am happy to find that was not the case. Thank you my lovelies, I will do my best to get to work on the next chapter. Thanks again!


	21. Chapter 21

**Thank you so much for all of your reviews! I swear I did read them all. Just in case you didn't remember, Edward is 24 and Bella is 18 now. There is a 6 year difference between them. It may not seem like much, but Edward is a pretty good sized guy and she was very tiny and malnourished when he found her and appeared much younger, which he hasn't gotten past yet. Not to worry, my lovelies, our girl will be growing up right before his eyes.**

**Now, on with the show.**

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it. Thanks for reading it!**

**Chapter 21 – Keep You**

**EPOV**

Esme let me know she was going to the hospital where the men were taken. Only one had a strong reaction to the peanut oil, and because we had signs up in the restaurant warning customers against peanut allergies, he should not be able to sue us. Thank heavens for that. I still didn't like my mother near those men, though.

Carlisle said they were running the prints and went to join my mother at the hospital to keep an eye on the men. I felt a little better knowing she wasn't alone with them.

Bella went into our room and snuggled down in her sleeping bag, completely disappearing into the bottom of it. I just lay on top of mine, worried about her. I reached down and rubbed the hump of the sleeping bag that looked like her back. It took a while but she eventually crawled out and snuggled into my arms.

"They're going to take care of it, Bella. Carlisle is already talking to the FBI to get rid of them."

"I thought they were all dead. I hoped they were," she whimpered.

I wondered what she was talking about.

"They were all there, I hoped the blast..." she sniffled and then hid her face, "I hoped that it had killed them," she said muffled into my side.

"What blast?"

"The one that released me. The one that let me get out. There was a bomb, it shook the whole building and blew the hinges off my door. I thought someone would come, but after a few minutes, it was all silent and I looked out and saw that it looked deserted. I made my way down the hall. I didn't know the way out. I ended up in an office. The files were all knocked over. I saw my name on one. That's how I got my license back. It was also how I found out it was Phil that sold me for four million dollars." She pushed her face further into my side and she gasped a few time as she tried to stop her sobs, but I just kissed the top of her head, letting her know it was okay to cry. "Once I got my file, I started out the window, but another blast shook the place, taking it the rest the way down and starting a huge fire. The blast knocked me out and the window cut up my back pretty bad," she said sadly. "I don't think they would consider me prime merchandise anymore."

"What?" I looked at her shocked. "You're not merchandise!" I lifted her face and made her look me in the eyes. "You are not for sale, you are mine, I mean my wife, and no one is taking you," I said and pulled her tightly into my arms, trying to ignore the fight we had earlier about her not wanting to be my wife anymore. I would just have to try and convince her to stay. I felt like a selfish jerk but I just couldn't give her up. She ended up crying herself to sleep as I lay awake, waiting for an update from my mother. I was hoping to hear the men were arrested before my little one woke up. I just didn't know if they would be on top of it, like last time.

I hadn't realized I had fallen asleep until I was woken by Bella crying out, "No, please, please, I'm sorry, please," she begged.

I woke her by shaking her gently. When she looked at me, she gripped me tightly. "Please don't send me away. Don't make me leave. I promise I'll be a good wife. I'll do whatever you want. Just please don't make me go back," she sobbed.

I squeezed her tighter. "Hey, hey, now, I would never send you away. I don't want you to leave. You're an excellent wife already, little one," I said and kissed her head. "I don't want you to leave me, either. I promise never to send you away."

She sobbed hard into my shoulder and I squeezed her tighter, hating that she thought I would ever want to send her away.

Emmett called and let me know that the FBI arrested Felix for several drug trafficking violations. The other man was not in the records. He was also the one that had the allergic reaction to the peanut oil. I had a feeling that he was the one we really wanted to get rid of. Bella had said Felix was a guard, so he would have just been the other man's goon.

I gave Bella another sedative. It had been several hours, so she could do with another one. Carlisle called and asked how she was doing and I told him about her taking the pills. Then he asked if she could talk to an FBI agent. I didn't like the idea and asked if he could just talk to the agent himself.

Bella spoke with him quietly for a moment on the phone. From what I could make out, she was giving him permission to speak with the agent about what was said in their sessions. Call me selfish, but I was actually feeling a little jealous that yet another person would know Bella's history and I would not.

She hung up the phone and looked at me nervously. I wanted her to know that I would do anything to keep her safe, that I did want her to be my wife. "Bella," I spoke her name softly wiping away her tears, "Can I keep you as my wife?" I asked feeling unsure of myself.

She looked at me confused and I started retreating, feeling insecure and stupid for asking. I should have just said I was keeping her as my wife or demanded that she not leave me. I felt her hand on my face, her brow furrowed. "What?" she asked softly.

"C-can, can I keep you?" I asked like a stupid little baby begging his mom for a pet.

"You want to keep me?" she asked her voice squeaking.

I looked up at her begging her with my eyes. "Please?"

"As your wife?" she asked as if she was confused.

I nodded yes bashfully, not sure if I could handle her telling me she didn't want to be married to an old pervert with a morning woody. I shouldn't have asked her. I wasn't ready for her rejection.

I felt her hands on my cheeks and she tipped my face up to hers. Her soft brown eyes looked deep into mine searching for something. "Do you really want to be stuck with me?" she asked.

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her tightly against me. "Yes."

I felt her arms wrap tightly around me and she started to sob. I wasn't sure why she was crying, but she didn't loosen her grip on me. I felt her loosen her grip a little and her lips found my neck kissing it softly. "I would like to keep you, too," she whispered in my ear.

I squeezed her tighter than I should have and kissed her head. "Thank you," I said with such relief. I didn't know why she would want a dirty old man like me, but I was over the moon that she said I could keep her.

It didn't escape my notice once we were settled down that we were both eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I didn't say anything, just made her an apple swan for a side dish. She smiled when she saw it and thanked me. Once we were done eating, she took my hand and pulled me to the couch with her. She pulled out her notebook and curled into my side and began to write.

I could see everything she was writing clearly and didn't know if I was intruding so I thought I should ask. "Can I read it as you write it?" I asked.

She smiled up at me and snuggled back into me and continued to write where I could see.

'_Knowing Marcus is here in town has made me wonder about Tatiana. She was so good to me and kept me safe. My stay with them could have been so much worse. She was so kind, slipping me peanut butter sandwiches and telling me to leave some where it could be seen on my cheek. It was this reason alone that Marcus kept his body completely to himself. I knew he had attacked the woman in the cage next to me after she'd had peanut butter and she was killed. He accused her of trying to assassinate him. I don't think she denied it. I think she was happy to die. I always made it clear that I had eaten peanut butter, leaving it smeared on my cheeks and hands. _

'_He accused Tatiana of trying to keep the girls from him. I know she paid that night for us all but she never stopped giving me the peanut butter and for that I am grateful. I wonder if she escaped the same time I did. I wonder if the other girls had gotten out. It was so quiet, but I suspect it was quiet because the blast had left me deaf. I couldn't even hear Gustaf calling to me trying to wake me. It was his touch on my painful back that caused me to wake and look at him. I could see his mouth moving as he lifted my naked form from the ground. I was too sore and tired to fight him. I only was awake long enough to ask him to get my file. _

_I woke the next day to my back covered in bandages in a warm bed. I almost thought I was safe but what Gustaf didn't know was that I had regained my hearing and I could hear the things he was mumbling when his back was turned. I continued to play deaf until my body was healed enough and I was able to escape with my file and some of his clothes. He had no intention of ever giving me any. He had figured out what that place was that I was held in and planned on keeping me naked and for his own. He was preparing the basement for me to be locked in but I was able to gain enough strength to escape. I made it to the port to find a ship to take me back to the states. That was where I found Edward's ship and my true salvation. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have him to help me these past few months. For him, I am truly grateful.'_

I leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I'm grateful for you, too," I whispered and I truly was.

A/N So they kind of told each other that they want to be together but in their timid quiet way. Thanks for reading please review.


	22. Chapter 22

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma sent this back and said, you need to give them more so I did. Thank her for the chapter being longer. So now, on with the show!**

**Chapter 22 – Black Cloud**

**EPOV**

Agent Black was Carlisle's FBI contact and apparently was very insistent on talking with Bella himself. I didn't like this fellow and the idea of someone else knowing of her existences was nerve wracking. He just wouldn't let it go, though, and Carlisle finally talked us into letting him come by with agent Black.

When I heard the knock on the door, I left my Bella hiding in the bedroom. I told her she didn't have to come out if she didn't feel safe. I opened the door scowling and upset. This man knew I didn't want him here.

"I'm agent Black," he said handing me his credentials. "I'm here to see Isabella Swan."

"Her name is McCarty, we're married," I growled at him.

He looked at me with just as much contempt.

"Don't you think she's been through enough? You have what you need. You don't need to be here," I snapped at him impatiently. Who was he to judge me for marrying her? Yes, she was young but I did take care of her and kept her safe.

"Look, Sir, is she here or not?"

"She's not comfortable around men," I snapped.

"But she's comfortable around you?" he said accusingly.

"Yes! I'm her husband!" I growled out. "What is it you want?"

"I need to check to see if it's really her," he answered.

"It is; do you want to see her ID? She has one with her maiden name on it," I offered contemptuously. I did not want to let him see my little wife.

"Sir, please, just let me see that she's alive and alright," he said sounding a bit more defeated.

I took a moment to calm myself. "As I said, men make her nervous. It took weeks before she could even talk to Dr. Cullen."

"I understand that, Sir. You see, though, my father and her father are good friends. I have a bit of a personal interest in making sure she's alright. I took this case because of her and I would just feel a whole lot better knowing it was really her and she was safe," he said pleadingly.

I heard the door to our bedroom creak open. "Just a moment," I said and moved to it. I knew if she was to come out, she would need me to handle being around someone new.

She looked at me with worried eyes.

"You don't have to do this," I told her but she just slipped her arms around me, breathing me in deeply. I looked up to the main room to see agent Black watching us. I rubbed her back softly. "Did you hear what he said?" I asked and she nodded yes. "Do you want to come out to see him?" I asked.

She peeked down the hall and saw agent Black and Dr. Cullen smiling. She took a deep breath and nodded yes, and then whispered, "Please hold me."

"I will. I promise; I'm not letting you go."  
She smiled softly at me and I lifted her into my arms and cradled her tightly to me. I sat down on the couch with her in my lap and motioned for agent Black to take a seat in the chair across the way.

"Is she alright?" he asked sounding truly concerned.

I kissed her forehead. "Yes, you're just a stranger."

"I'm sorry, Bells, I don't mean to stress you out," he said and I noticed her perk up at the sound of her name.

"We've met before, but it was a long time ago. I think you were four or five the last summer you spent with your dad and we made mud pies. You, um, smashed one in my hair and it took three baths to get it all out. That's why I remember you so well. Baths are traumatizing to an eight year old boy, you know. We like to keep our manly grime."

I felt her wiggle a little and realized she was giggling. She peeked up at him through her hair and tilted her head to the side to see better. I felt her relaxing in my arms.

"Anyways, when I heard you were involved in this case and may still be alive, I insisted I be assigned to it. I wanted to see if it were true. I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up if it was a hoax," he said letting out a sigh and rubbed his face. "So, if you really are Isabella Swan, or McCarty," he corrected when I glared at him, "Could you tell me the name of your dad's best friend?"

She was quiet and closed her eyes for a moment. Then she looked at me and whispered in my ear, "Billy, he lives in La Push," she said to me with imploring eyes, asking for me to repeat it.

I nodded in agreement. "She said Billy, he lives in La Push," I stated clearly.

What happened next was shocking. Agent Black gripped his own chest gasping as tears ran down his face. "It's you, it's really you, and you're alive," he said as he tried to pull himself together. "Oh, Bells, your dad is going to be so happy to see you. He's been such a mess since the day he lost you."

She looked at him confused and shook her head at him and started to cry. I knew why. I remembered that she saw her father killed.

"Agent Black, you're upsetting my wife. She watched her father die. He was shot and fell out of a window to his death."

"No!" he stood and shouted, making my little girl jump and me to move her behind me protectively.

Carlisle saw I was about to rip this idiot apart and stepped between us. "Let's all settle down now," he said calmly.

Agent Black sat back down in his chair. "He wasn't killed; shot, yes, fell out a second story window and broke his arm, yes, but he was fine. He was wearing his vest when they shot him and he landed in a large shrub which sort of broke his fall. He had some bad bruises and a broken arm, but he's definitely alive."

My girl perked up from behind me, peeking over my shoulder trying to see if what agent Black said was true. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her back into my lap. "But I saw," she whispered, but it was loud enough for agent Black to hear.

"I know what you saw; I know what he saw, too," he frowned. "I'm sure if it wasn't for that rival gang coming and blowing the place to high heaven, much worse would have been done. He would have been found in the bushes and killed, but the attack was enough to cause chaos and grab the attention of the local authorities. They found your father, but they couldn't find you anywhere. We thought they fled with you," he said sadly. "When we started getting hits saying they were looking for you here, I took the case. We thought someone had stolen your identity and I wanted to take care of it before your parents heard about it. I'm thrilled to find that's not the case, Bells. I'm so happy you're alive and well."

She nodded yes to him, acknowledging she was fine.

"I can take you home to your mom and dad. I know you don't know this, but Renee moved back in with your dad after the warning that they were coming for her. Charlie was her safe house. He's taken care of her and she him. They both are a bit of a mess but he's doing a little better now that she's back. Oh, Bells, they're going to be thrilled to finally have you back home." He continued his happy ranting about taking my wife away and I found myself holding her tighter. I didn't want to let her go. I wanted to keep her. She was mine. She was my wife. I didn't want her to leave me, but it was a very real possibility and I would be a selfish jerk to keep her from her family. I didn't know what to do. I just knew I didn't want to let her go.

Carlisle must have seen the desperation on my face because he quickly talked agent Black into joining him down in the restaurant for some of my mother's cobbler, giving Bella and me a moment to talk, and giving her a chance to process everything. I only hoped that she would not ask me to let her go.

She stayed with her face buried in my chest for a while crying softly, and then she finally whispered, "Please, don't let him take me."

I squeezed her tighter. "Never, little one. I will never let anyone take you. You don't have to go anywhere you don't want to," I said trying to comfort her but she just seemed to sob harder.

"I want to go," she finally got out and I looked at her confused. She just said she didn't want to go.

I frowned. "If you truly wish to leave with him…" I said getting ready to concede but she shook her head no violently again.

"You don't want to go?" I asked confused because she nodded yes, indicating she did wish to go home with agent Black.

I sighed and rubbed my face. "Little one, I don't understand. Do you want to go with agent Black or not?"

"I want to go home," she whispered and my chest ached a little. I wanted this to be her home but she did not think of it that way. She considered her father's house her home and that was where she wanted to be.

I set her aside and walked out of the room to the bathroom so I could hide the overwhelming pain I was feeling at the moment. She wanted to leave me. As agent Black made me realize, she was just a child and I should return her to her family.

A horrible noise filled the bathroom and then I realized it was me. I was crying for the loss of my wife. I didn't ever remember feeling such pain and I couldn't recall the last time I'd cried other than at my stepfather's funeral, but this pain felt much deeper and I didn't understand why. I crumpled to the ground and fell back against the cabinets.

I didn't know how long I was sitting there crying when I felt a cool hand on my hot face. I closed my eyes, too ashamed to face whoever it was. I was a man. I shouldn't be crying like a baby. I was so weak.

I felt warm lips on my forehead and then her small body squeezed into my lap. She snuggled into my neck. "Not without you," she whispered in my ear. "I can't go without you."

I opened my eyes to see her pleading ones. She was begging me to take her home, to hand her over to her father myself and I wasn't sure I could do that. I didn't think I could just hand her over to another man, even if it was her father. I squeezed her tightly in my arms burying my face in her hair as I cried. "I don't want to lose you," I finally whispered and I felt her arms grip tighter on me.

"No, I'm yours to keep, and you're mine," she said softly.

I let out such a gasping sob of relief it shook us both. I held her tighter than I should and kissed her head where my face was hiding in her hair. "Thank you, little one," I said and squeezed her tightly. "I'll take you home if that's really what you want."

I leaned back and saw a look of pain on her face. She looked so torn but nodded yes. I kissed her forehead and sighed. I guess I would take her home and hope that she would still wish to return with me in the end.

A/N so I have introduced Jake but as you can see, he is not a love interest. I believe if they were meant to be together there is no question of which guy she should choose. There will be no love triangle bull crap, so don't get your panties in a twist. Thanks for reading please review.


	23. Chapter 23

**SM own's it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.**

**Chapter 23 – Voice of Reason**

**EPOV**

I realized I would have to speak with my mother about leaving for a couple of weeks. It turned out that Bella's parents lived in a little podunk town called Forks, Washington, and her father was police chief there. When he had heard of his daughter's disappearance, he went nuts. He tracked down and charged after the men that had her, causing them to panic and move her out of the states, where they tried to hide her in Germany before her sale. That didn't stop Chief Swan. Apparently, his ex-wife helped fund the trip for him to go and track down his daughter, only to have her snatched away from him at the last minute. I thought it ironic that the villains actually funded their own hunt indirectly.

Bella snuggled into my side nervously as we waited for my mother to come upstairs. She knocked lightly on the door and I called for her to come in. She smiled and had tears in her eyes. I suspected that Dr. Cullen and agent Black had informed her of what was going on. She hurried over and hugged us both, squishing us together. She cupped Bella's face smiling. "Oh, Sugar, how does it feel to get your family back?"

Bella smiled weakly and I think my mother understood her dilemma. "You know, baby girl, you'll always be my daughter as well, right?" she said smiling and pulled Bella into a hug. I heard Bella whimper and saw her grip tighten on my mother.

My mother smiled at me. "I'm guessing you both are taking a trip for a while so she can get reacquainted with her family?"

I nodded and my mother patted my cheek. "Good boy, you keep an eye on your girl. She needs you, Edward. Don't you forget that," she said sternly.

The FBI actually footed the bill for us to fly to Washington and agent Black met us at the airport in Seattle to drive us to Forks a few hours away. We sat silently in the back seat as agent Black happily tapped on the steering wheel. He looked up at us in the rear view mirror. "You know, I told them I have a surprise. That I was bringing home someone special. Charlie's been like a second dad to me. I'm sure he thinks I'm bringing home a girlfriend. Boy is he going to be surprised."

"You didn't tell them we were coming?" I snapped at him. He looked up at me shocked. "You didn't think their deceased daughter showing up on their doorstep would be a little hard to believe! If they give her any grief or trouble, I'll be reporting you and beating you to a pulp!" I growled.

That idiot Black didn't seem to take me seriously, he just shrugged at me. "They'll know it's her," he said dismissing my concerns.

We pulled up to a little white clapboard house and I saw my girl's eyes start to water and her breathing start to pick up. I wrapped my arms around her. "It's going to be alright. I promise. We can do this," I said needing the encouragement just as much as she did.

Agent Black was out of the car and at the front door knocking as I got out of the car first and coaxed my little one out of the car. She wrapped her arms around me tightly, pressing her face hard into my side, hiding under my arm. "It's okay, little one, I've got you."

We heard someone coming out and I heard someone say, "McCarty?" I looked up at the sound of my name to see a man in a police uniform glaring in my direction. "You just stay in the house!" he called back to someone and stormed in our direction.

Little Bella whimpered.

"Sir, could you please slow down, you're scaring her," I called to the man and it just seemed to make him madder. I turned Bella away from him trying to shield her from the anger that was radiating off of him.

"You give me back my daughter now, you sick bastard! I'm going to kill you for laying a hand on her!" he shouted at me and my little one literally climbed up me into my arms. I saw agent Black running down the steps toward us. Chief Swan continued to yell at me but I could only focus on my Bella crying in my arms. I knew we needed to get away from him and I cursed myself for not renting my own car as I carefully sat my girl in the back seat.

I felt a rough hand grab my shoulder and yank me back. I was met with an immediate fist to the face and could hear screaming. The Chief was strong but I was able to get him off of me and agent Black pulled him back from me. There was a woman outside now staring at us all, but when I saw her look to the back seat, tears burst from her eyes as she ran for the car. She threw open the door where my girl was panicking and crying, scrambling to get away. I knew she was having another attack as she tried to fight to get away from the woman trying to invade the back seat. I didn't know who she was, so I quickly grabbed the woman and pulled her away. "Let me calm her down first," I insisted moving past her and pulling Bella into my lap. "I've got you, you're safe, you're okay, little one."

She buried her face in my shirt crying but started to settle down. I grabbed her bag and pulled out her bottle of pills. I looked up at the woman who was standing their crying herself. "Could you please get her some water to take her pill?" I asked.

She nodded yes and ran faster than I had ever seen a woman move in my life into the house, and she was at my side again in seconds with a bottle of water. I pulled up my little one's face and kissed her forehead. "Hey, honey, I think you should take a pill. I have it here with some water. Can you do that for me?" I asked.

She looked up at me sniffling and opened her mouth for me. I popped the pill in and gave her the water to drink. She sank back down in my arms and I looked at the woman next to me. "Just give her a minute for the pill to kick in," I said.

The woman surprised me by nodding in agreement and leaning into my side. She reached a hand out running it up Bella's arm. Bella peeked to see who was touching her and then quickly grabbed the woman's hand and pulled it closer to her hugging it.

After a few minutes, Bella had shifted on my lap and was hugging the woman and crying happy tears, and I let out a relieved sigh. I looked at Chief Swan, who was now glaring at both agent Black and I. I hoped he controlled his temper or he wouldn't be getting his daughter back. There was no way I was letting him upset my girl.

The women settled down a little and the stranger asked, "Mr. McCarty, how did you come upon our Bella?" she asked.

I wasn't sure how to address her. I was sure she was Bella's mother but she had also gotten back with Chief Swan, so I had no clue what her name was now. "Ma'am, I'm not sure how to address you," I admitted.

She smiled at me. "Renee, just call me Renee."

"Thank you, Ma'am," I said smiling. At least there was one friendly face at this house. "I found Bella when she was hiding in my quarters. I was first mate on a ship that runs from the European coast to the textile mills in Georgetown, South Carolina."

"You found her?"

"Yes, Ma'am, I suspected the place was haunted until I found her on the floor of my quarters one night sicker than a poisoned frog."

Her mother smiled at me and Bella snuggled into my side, hiding her face that was warm with a blush.

"She was so tiny and thin, she had me worried she wouldn't make it through the night, so I stayed up taking care of her. She snuck off, hiding in the duct work when she thought I was sleeping, and so I started leaving notes for her and food, hoping she was alright. We became friends, sort of. She was still really skittish but she figured out that I would never harm her," I said rubbing her back.

"So how did you two come to be married?" She looked at me worried and then to her husband and grimaced.

I let out a sigh. "She needed to have papers so they didn't send her back to Germany. I knew something bad had happened to her and when the captain found her in my quarters with me trying to think up a safe way to get her off the ship, he had a fit. I lied and said she was my girlfriend so she wouldn't get in trouble for stowing away. The captain said she had to have papers because customs was boarding soon and so he married us so she would have a legal document saying she was an American citizen and not send her back."

When I mentioned sending her back, she flinched and held me tighter. Her mother rubbed her back. "Thank you, Mr. McCarty, for saving our daughter and taking care of her."

"It was nothing really, Ma'am, she takes care of me more than I take care of her," I spoke truthfully.

"That's enough!" Chief Swan roared. "Get your hands off my daughter!" he shouted causing Bella to quiver.

I looked to Renee with pleading eyes. "Can you please help us, he's really scaring her. She's been through so much; you can't yell or make loud or sudden movements. Even on the medication, she's still dealing with a lot."

Renee nodded at me with determination in her eyes and stomped up to Chief Swan. "You will settle down right now, your shouting is doing nothing but hurting our little girl."

"But he…" he started but was cut off.

"No! You settle down and go in the house. If you want them to come in, you'd better shut your trap, Charlie Swan. I'm not letting you scare our little girl anymore!" she snapped at him. He pouted at her in a way that was almost comical and then dragged his feet toward the house with his head hanging like a shamed puppy.

Agent Black had the nerve to walk up smiling. "See, I said it would work out alright."

I glared at him. "Boy, you're getting whooped once my girl is settled. This has been a mess. You should have called them and prepared them for what was coming. This whole panic attack and fight could have been avoided," I growled at him angrily but tried to keep my voice down so I would not upset my girl.

He gave me a weak smile and a shrug. That boy was going down the first chance I got.

A/N Thanks for reading please review.


	24. Chapter 24

Okay lovelies again with the few reviews. I am not being a review whore, I swear, but when I drop from 28 to 9 I think I have done something wrong. (Frowning) Please if you don't like my story please please please let me know why. I love to get reviews telling me I suck because I take what people say to heart and try and make the stories better. They really do help, I swear! So if you _are_ hating the story or are pissed at me please let me know why. I would love to keep you as readers and use your insight to make the story better.

Sincerely your overly insecure author

Savanna Van Smutsmut

As always SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it. I hope you read and review it.

**Chapter 24 Unsettled**

**EPOV**

It took a while to settle Bella down enough to move, but I was eventually able to carry her inside her parent's house and sit on the couch with her. Her father sat pouting in a well worn chair and her mother sat next to us caressing Bella's hair.

Her mother suddenly burst into tears. "Sweetheart, can you ever forgive me? I had no idea that Phil was such a…" She was cut off by Bella launching into her arms from my lap. I smiled at the pair as they hugged and rocked each other.

"I know she was very worried about you. I know she's happy to see you're okay. She knows it's not your fault," I said trying to comfort her mother.

"How the hell do you know anything?" her dad grumped at me.

"She keeps journals that she shares with me sometimes. She had me read about her mother one night," I defended and I felt my girl pushing back into my arms and straddling my lap, nervous about the loud voice of her father. I looked to her mother worried. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I've got you, you're safe," I whispered.

She whimpered lightly. I noticed her mother glaring at her father. "Charlie, why don't you go order us some pizza?" she said dismissing him then looked to me. "You both will be staying here, right?" she asked.

I looked at the door Charlie had just disappeared through. "As long as he can keep it down and not upset her we'll stay, but if he sets her off again, we're leaving. I won't put up with anyone upsetting her, even if it's family," I said sternly thinking I might be offending Renee but she just smiled at me and then kissed the top of my head as she left to go talk to him.

Once they were out of the room, Bella relaxed a little in my arms and I smiled down at her. "How are you doing?" I asked.

She gave me a little smile.

"Things are going good with your mom," I said brushing her hair off her face. "I think she'll keep your dad under control."

She let out a sigh and turned in my arms, leaning into me more rather than straddling me. I was sure her position did not help my case with her father any but he was just going to have to get over it. Bella could sit on me and use me any way she needed to settle herself down. I didn't mind, as long as she was comfortable.

Dinner was quiet. I guess Renee got to Charlie because he scowled at his plate a lot and then would look worried at Bella. I was pretty sure he was plotting to kill me in my sleep.

"We still have your old room set up. It was left untouched," Renee said. "I wasn't able to bring your things from Florida because I left in such a hurry," she said a little pained. Charlie put his hand on her shoulder and she fell into his arms.

"Would you like to see your room?" I asked her. She peeked up at me and nodded yes.

Renee stood and led the way up a narrow staircase. I wrapped my arm around Bella but let her walk up the steps. She was practically sandwiched between me and her mother and I was glad her father chose not to follow us.

Renee opened the door to the room to the right at the top of the stairs. It was small, with a desk, twin bed, and a rocking chair in the corner. Renee shut the door behind us and Bella looked up at me smiling and stepped away from me. I smiled at Renee who looked relieved that Bella seemed to actually feel comfortable in her old room.

She walked over to her desk and touched her old drawings and looked over at her bed. She walked over to it and sat on her bed, bouncing lightly.

"At least it doesn't squeak," I said. Our bed at home squeaked horribly every time we shifted positions. Of course, I kind of liked to listen to her sit on it when I was in the front room because I knew where she was even if I couldn't see her. I didn't know how often she shifted on the bed. I didn't count it out like she did in her journal, but I knew it was often enough to make me feel comfortable enough not to check on her every few minutes.

"I'll get some fresh bedding for you both," Renee said but I could see she looked a little worried. I had a feeling Chief Swan was not going to be happy about me sleeping with Bella.

We could hear a muffled dispute in the hall. "He is not sleeping in there with her! I don't give a crap, Renee! He can be the damn pope; he will not lay a hand on my baby girl under my roof! He may have you fooled but I can see it. He's taking advantage of our baby girl's delicate state! I will not have it! No one is touching her!" He paused and then I heard him start up again. "Don't you get it, Renee? He's probably the bastard that bought her! He was caught and is trying to play it off as something else!" he snapped. "Our baby girl has Stockholm syndrome. I'm not letting him get to her again!"

I couldn't hear what Renee was saying but you could tell she was upset.

Bella climbed into my lap and started crying. "Please don't leave me, please," she begged, holding onto me so tightly it almost hurt.

I wrapped my arms around her and tried to calm her. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I won't leave unless you tell me to go, little one," I said kissing her hair. I hoped she never would ask me to leave, but I was afraid that once her parents were able to get through to her, she would decide to stay. Really, who was I to her but a stranger that helped her anyway? This was her family. I would not expect her to choose me over them.

Her mother came into the room wearing a tight smile that quickly fell when she saw Bella shaking in my arms. "She heard that?"

I nodded yes and she let out a defeated sigh. She came and sat on the bed next to us and reached out to touch Bella's back. Bella flinched away from her and I calmed her again. Her mother looked up at me with watery eyes. "I don't know how to help," she said.

I looked across the room at the clock. It was close to bed time when Bella took her regular prescription. "She's due for another pill. Can you get her some water?"

"Yes, of course." She stopped in the doorway and turned to look at me. "What are the pills exactly?"

"Well, the one she's taking now is an anti-anxiety medicine she has to keep in her system because it takes a while for it to work. It helps her be around people," I said rubbing her back. "The other pill she took earlier is another anxiety medicine she takes to help with her panic attacks."

Her mother frowned and nodded in understanding.

"She's seeing a doctor back home so hopefully she'll be able to get past what happened to her," I said. "I really have been trying to help her as much as I can," I promised.

"I know, Edward, I can see in the way you handle her that you do care for her."

"I do, Ma'am."

She smiled and left to get the water. I gently moved Bella to the bed and dug out her pills from her bag that her father had brought up here earlier. I had just pulled the pills out when her mother returned and stood in the doorway. She saw Bella was watching her nervously and waited for me to be at her side before she approached us.

Bella smiled up at her mother and took the water, downing her pill.

"It usually knocks her out. That's why she takes it at bedtime," I told Renee.

"There are new toothbrushes and such in the bathroom for you both," she said smiling at Bella and kissed the top of her head then left us.

"You want to get ready for bed?" I asked. She nodded yes and I walked her to the bathroom in the hallway.

"You going to be okay in here?" I asked.

"Don't leave, please, don't leave me," she begged.

"I'll be right here outside the door just like always," I said and hugged her. "I'm not leaving you," I promised her and sat down in the hall. "See, I'm right here waiting for you just like always."

She let out a deep breath, trying to calm herself. I recognized her trying to do her breathing exercise to keep things under control, and she finally shut the door.

I let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed my face. Things were not going nearly as well as I'd hoped. The chances that her parents would let me take her home were practically zero.

"Like always, huh? Don't think you have me fooled. What were you, some guard that helped her escape?"

"No, Sir," I said sadly shaking my head. I didn't even bother to say anything else, just returned my focus to the door where Bella was getting ready for bed.

"You're not sleeping with my little girl. I'll not have some sick bastard defiling her in my house, saying he's her husband!"

"I'm not defiling your daughter," I growled. "I've never laid a finger on her," I snapped.

"I don't believe you!" he snarled at me.

I just put my head in my hands. "I don't expect you to, but I haven't."

"She's just a baby, you realize that? She should be in high school for her senior year, excited about the spring dance, not worrying if some sick bastard that calls himself her husband is going to touch her!" he yelled in my face.

I glared at him. "I don't touch her!" I said standing up and getting in his face. "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I know she's just a baby! I have never nor will I ever lay a hand on her! I would never do anything to upset her! When are you going to get it through your thick skull that it's you that's upsetting her?" I shouted back.

Renee was suddenly between us. "I could hear you all the way downstairs," she said panicked knowing we probably set Bella off again.

"Ah, geez." I looked at the door frustrated and then to her mother. "Can you make sure she's dressed?" I asked.

She nodded smiling sadly at me and stepped into the bathroom. "Bella?" she shrieked and came back out into the hall freaking out. "She's gone!"

I ran into the bathroom and looked around for a minute. I searched for the vent and found it. I stepped up on the vanity, knowing that was how she got in there, and her parents watched as I opened the vent.

"What are you doing? She's not in there. There's no way she can fit in..." Her father ate his own words as I reached in and gently pulled my girl out.

"I got you, baby, I'm right here. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled," I said cradling her trembling form in my arms and jumped down from the vanity. "You're safe, I'm here, and I'm not leaving you. I promise you I won't," I said as I pushed past them and went to her bedroom and shut the door.

My girl needed me and I would not let anyone stop me from helping her.

A/N thanks for reading now do your worst! I am looking forward to hearing from you.


	25. Chapter 25

**I had an amazing response last chapter. We got over thirty reviews. I am glad to hear you are all still reading and enjoying the story and I will get to the nooky soon. (Wink)**

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.**

**Chapter 25 Tact**

**Epov**

Bella fell asleep on me on her bed. I didn't want to disturb her, but my belt was cutting into my waist and the bars from her metal headboard were cutting into my back in a bad way. Of course, I was so tired and worn out from the day's events that I was dozing off anyway.

Renee stepped into the room and I opened my tired eyes and gave her a weak smile.

"Is she going to be alright?" she asked.

I nodded yes, not wanting to wake Bella up.

"Do you want me to sit with her while you get ready for bed?" she asked.

That might work. She was getting comfortable around her mother and they would be in her room where she felt safe. She was also asleep, which was a bonus. I didn't think I could have left her if she was awake. I motioned for Renee to come over to the bed and gently shifted Bella to lay on her a little. I stood and stretched. My back popped loudly and I saw Renee cringe. "There's some pain medicine in the bathroom cabinet," she offered.

"Thank you," I said stretching and twisting, letting out several more loud pops. "I think I'll take you up on it."

"Does she do that often?" Renee asked before I left the room.

"What?"

"Fall asleep on you like that?"

I rolled my shoulders, still trying to loosen up, and then looked at the ceiling. "Sometimes, if she has bad dreams, but since Dr. Cullen suggested we start sleeping in the same bed, there are fewer nights up."

"Dr. Cullen suggested you sleep together? You weren't before?" she asked a little surprised.

I frowned. "No, we weren't. We have two twin beds at home." I rubbed my face trying to wake up a little more. "He explained that her sleeping well was important to her getting a handle on her anxiety and she had told him that my smell helped her relax."

"Your smell?"

I shrugged. "You'll have to ask her about that one. I did start noticing that when she's upset, she hides her face in my shirt. That's usually how she sleeps as well."

"Oh," she smiled softly, "She finds you safe and comforting."

I blushed a little. "I hope so. I feel bad for letting her hear me raise my voice," I said shaking my head. "I shouldn't have yelled. I know better."

"You were provoked, Edward, it's not your fault," she tried to dismiss my guilt but I knew better. I shouldn't have let her father get to me like that. I should have held it together for my girl.

I frowned. "Yeah, but I still know better," I said and left the room. I did take some pain pills and climbed into the shower. I dressed in my PJ's and wasn't surprised to see Chief Swan standing in the hall waiting for me with a scowl. I knew better than to fight with him and raise my voice. I would not be waking and upsetting my girl no matter what this idiot said.

"I left your sleeping bag on the couch downstairs. You can sleep there. My wife has our daughter taken care of," he growled.

I took a deep breath and debated whether or not I should fight him on this but I was tired. "Fine," I said and made my way downstairs to sleep. I was out like a light. It had been a while since I had slept without being squished. Twin beds did not make for comfortable sleeping arrangements. It was sad when a couch felt roomy.

I woke to Renee shouting for Bella. She and Charlie came thundering down the stairs. I rubbed my eyes and looked around.

"Where is she?" Charlie snapped at me.

Renee pushed forward, "We can't find her!" She was panicking.

I went to shift my legs and felt a familiar weight. "I have her, she's here. She must have had a bad dream," I said reaching down into my sleeping bag and pulling my girl out.

"What the hell was she doing down there?" her father shouted and my disoriented girl scuttled back down into the bag against my pull.

I dropped my head in frustration and then gave Renee a pleading look.

"You better have all your damn clothes on under there or so help me God I'll kill you!" he yelled and we all heard a sob come from the bottom of my bag.

"Charlie, you're scaring her again!" Renee snapped frantic. I knew she wanted Bella to come out, but I knew she wouldn't as long as Charlie was yelling.

"She's scared of him, not me!" he shouted and my girl sobbed harder.

"I'm sorry. We can't do this," I said and surprised them by unzipping the sleeping bag and pulled out my sobbing girl. "Renee, could you please get her one of her blue pills from her bag?" I asked.

She nodded yes and was gone in an instant. She returned with the pill and a bottle of water.

"I don't know what the hell that is but I don't want you giving it to my baby girl!" Charlie shouted and tried to knock the pill from my hand, causing Bella to cringe and practically climb behind me to hide from him. She was trembling and whimpering loudly. I'd had enough.

"I'm giving her the pill, and you can look up her prescriptions on line if you wish, they're exactly what I told Renee they were," I snapped at Charlie. Bella took her pill and then the front door slammed open, causing her to scramble behind me all over again.

Agent Black stood there smiling widely. "I have great news, everybody! Marcus was caught raping a girl and is going to prison!"

We all gasped in shock and I just couldn't stand it anymore. I had to hit that idiot. I punched him hard in the face, knocking him back into the wall, where he slid down and looked up at me shocked.

"A woman having her virtue stolen is never good news, you idiot!" I snapped, "Learn some tact!" I grabbed my girl to get us away from that mess of idiots before I really lost it and scared her by yelling anymore. I carried her upstairs to her room. They didn't know it yet, but we were leaving. I was glad to hear Marcus was caught, and it made my decision to take her home all the more easy.

I pulled out my cell phone and called for a cab. I could not believe it would take a freaking hour for them to get here from the next town. Apparently, Forks didn't have a cab service. I packed up our stuff, and then turned my back as Bella got dressed. She did the same for me, but I swore I could feel her eyes on my back. When I peeked over my shoulder to see if she was looking, she wasn't, but her face was red with a deep blush. I felt bad for making her feel uncomfortable but we couldn't leave with me in my PJ's, and she was in no shape to let me leave the room yet.

"I'm sorry, baby, but I think we should go," I said softly once I was dressed. I picked her up and cradled her in my arms. "Your dad just can't seem to settle down and you're having such a hard time. I think we should go home and let you visit with Dr. Cullen for a while."

She frowned and moved down on the bed next to me pouting. I was scared she was going to ask to stay. I had to tell her that I wanted her mom to come visit. I hoped that would sway her and make her want to come home with me.

"I plan on inviting your mom for a visit, though. Do you think you could handle that?" I asked.

She nodded yes.

I smiled wide. "Good, I was thinking we can clean up that second room full of junk so she could stay with us," I offered and she smiled wider and nodded her head yes eagerly. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her head. "Okay, honey, I'm sorry things aren't working out with your dad. Maybe with time he'll start to settle down more and we can try and visit again when you're doing better." She whimpered a little which saddened me. As annoyed and angry as I was with Chief Swan, I knew he loved his daughter. "You know he loves you, right? He's just trying to protect you. He doesn't mean to scare you like that."

I heard a soft sob and realized it came from the doorway. It was Renee; she had heard me talking to her daughter about Chief Swan. When she saw that we had noticed her there, she came over and I pulled her down into a hug so she could hug Bella. I felt Bella shift in my arms and I moved back a little as Renee took my place. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry your dad is such a thick headed jerk. I remember now why I left that idiot in the first place." She let out a sigh as Bella frowned.

I pulled a card out for the Magnolia restaurant my family ran and gave it to Renee. "This is our address, we would be happy to have you come visit us, but we really need to go. I can't have my girl getting so upset. I'm worried she's going to have setbacks," I said sadly.

Renee kissed the top of my head and Bella's cheek. "I would love to come visit. Thank you." I smiled widely and then we heard the honk of the cab waiting for us. I picked up our bags and started down the stairs with Bella in tow.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Chief Swan roared at me. "You're not taking her anywhere!"

"We're going home," I said calmly and started for the door.

He jumped in front of it. "Like hell you are! She's my daughter and I'm not letting you take her anywhere!"

Bella, who was behind me, climbed up my back and was hiding her face in my neck.

"Charles Swan, you will stop scaring our daughter!" Renee snapped.

"He's not taking her!"

"She's an adult!"

"No, she's not, she's just a child! She should be in school, not warming his bed!" he shouted back at Renee.

"You have it all wrong, and she's eighteen, Charlie, let her go!"

"I'll have her deemed incompetent; she obviously is, look at what a mess he has her in!" he yelled motioning to Bella. She let out a whimper. "She's staying here and will never see that crook again!" he yelled in a threatening tone.

"I'm her husband. She would be awarded to me if she was deemed incompetent. Regardless, we're leaving," I said firmly. "I'll not have you upsetting my wife again!" I charged forward. It looked like Charlie was going to try and stop me but Renee butted in and stopped him, pushing him back.

"Let them go, Charlie, or you'll never see her again. Don't you see what you're doing to her?"

"But he..."

"NO, Charlie, you're wrong, he's a good man."

"You're one to talk, woman! Who are you to judge a man's character? You're the one that got her into this mess in the first place with that filthy rat, Phil!" he yelled at her.

We were out the door and quickly into the cab. We didn't hear the end of that fight, and I didn't think I wanted to. Sadly, that visit didn't go anywhere near like I thought it would, and I was glad it was over. I was glad I was able to leave with my girl. I was so worried I was going to lose her. I hugged her tightly in the back of the cab as we drove away. She seemed to settle down more as we got further away.

"I don't want them to take me," she whispered to me.

I frowned down at her. "I told you, baby, I would never let anyone take you from me."

She let out a relieved sigh.

"You're mine," I reminded her. "You said I could keep you."

She looked up at me smiling slightly then snuggled down into my chest. She was mine and I would keep her. Even if I had to fight her family for her, I would keep her.

She was my wife and no one would take her from me!

A/N thanks for reading please review.


	26. Chapter 26

**SM owns it, dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.**

**Chapter 26 there is no place like home **

**EPOV**

I could honestly say there was no place like home! I was thrilled to be back, and I could tell Bella seemed to be more at ease here as well which just made me feel good. I was worried she wouldn't want to come back and I was thrilled that she was back home with me now.

My momma came up and I told her about the visit. She hugged my Bella and told her not to fret herself, that her daddy would come around in time. I hoped she was right, but then again, I wanted him to stay the hell away as well.

Dr. Cullen came and visited with Bella and gave us further insight into her dad. He thought that her dad was stuck in rescue mode and felt like he had been deprived of saving his baby. Dr. Cullen went on to explain it better and it looked like Bella was getting it, but I think it was a bit over my head. The guy was nuts, that was for sure. If he showed up on my doorstep, I would make him have a session with Dr. Cullen before I'd let him talk to my girl.

Bella seemed to bounce back a lot faster now that we were home and I was glad for it. I was worried that she would have some major setbacks and it did take her a while to be okay in the room alone with Dr. Cullen, and then another week before she was okay with me being out of the kitchen in the restaurant. I took to working the floor so I could catch sight of suspicious people when they came in. I wasn't going to let anyone near my girl. The authorities were fairly sure they had taken down everyone that would be looking for Bella, but I could never be too careful when it came to my girl's safety.

Alice was up and around with a walking cast and cane that she covered in pink ribbon and something sparkly. I overheard her tell a little girl that it was her magic cane. It was pretty cute because the little girl completely believed her.

That child couldn't have been more than three and had dark brown hair like Bella's. I couldn't help but wonder what a child would look like if we ever did take on being a married couple for real and had a family. I quickly pushed that thought out of my head. Now wasn't the time for that. She had a lot of healing and growing up to do.

Her father had made a good point; Bella should be in school. I knew it wasn't something she could do right now, as it would be too much for her to handle, but maybe I could talk her into some online classes so she could at least get her GED. Unfortunately, the only computer we had access to was the restaurant computer in my mom's office just off the kitchen. I would have to ask if Bella could use it.

I hadn't gotten the full question out when my mother grabbed Bella's arm and mine and started dragging us to her office. She sat Bella in front of her computer smiling and brought up three schools she had marked in her favorites.

"After you told me what her daddy said, I knew he was right. Our girl needs to get her education, but I also know it would be difficult for her to leave your side," Momma said smiling at us. "So I talked to Dr. Cullen and he suggested these schools, and I was thinking she could work in here while you're working out front. Do you think you can handle that, Sugar?" she asked Bella.

Bella looked at us both nervously. I knelt down in front of her taking her hands. "If you're not ready, we can wait, you don't have to start right now."

"I don't want you to see me as a helpless child," she whispered and I saw tears in her eyes.

"Oh, honey, I know you're not a child," I said.

My mother sensed we needed a minute and slipped out, closing the door.

"Edward, I thought you wanted to keep me as your wife?" she said soft and broken.

I took a deep breath. I loved hearing that she wanted to be my wife. My real wife. I leaned in and kissed her forehead, breathing in the scent of her hair. "I want to keep you as my wife, but it's going to take time before you're ready for that."

"So you really want me to be your wife? Your real wife?" she said a little surprised.

I could feel my face heating up and I felt a little guilty for wanting it, but I couldn't deny it. "Yeah," I cleared my throat. "There was a little brown haired girl in this morning and I wondered what our kids would look like," I said nervously hoping I didn't say too much.

"Really?" she squeaked. I was afraid I'd made her nervous, but then she did something to push all my fears away. She kissed me. She pushed into my lap, shoving me to the floor and kissed me, full and deep on the lips. When she sat up, I was panting hard. She shifted, sitting on things she probably shouldn't, and embarrassing me even more that I'd reacted to her so quickly. I felt her push down with her hips and then smile at me.

I cleared my throat trying to gain my voice. "So, school?" I asked.

She smiled widely and nodded yes.

It had been two weeks since our kiss, and to say I was a little excited and wanted to repeat it was an understatement. It dominated my thoughts and definitely my dreams. Sleeping with her was getting more difficult. All I could say was thank heavens for the separate sleeping bags or she would have issues with my one eyed monster. It didn't help that sometimes I would wake to her moaning my name. I kept trying to convince myself that it was probably a bad dream, but when it was followed by her moaning, "Yes, yes, YES!" one would know better. If I'd thought before was torture, now was just freaking insane. I spent a lot of time in the shower. I was glad that it was impossible to run out of cold water; otherwise I think we would have a serious shortage on my block.

Of course, since that kiss, she had become more confident. She would hug me just to be affectionate, and I could kiss her on the cheek just because I wanted to. We were moving forward; slowly, but still forward. She was doing well in school also. She had to complete her junior and senior years but she didn't seem to mind. She was highly intelligent and was making quick work of her studies. She worked diligently in the office while I worked with my mom in the restaurant. Alice would frequently come by to make her take a break so they could discuss wedding plans. Bella had actually become more familiar and comfortable around our regular customers and could sit in the dining hall while I was a waiter. Things were looking up, that was until they started looking at dresses.

I was refilling one of our regular customer's coffee when I hear Alice start to complain. "What do you mean you don't like it?"

"It's a bit revealing," I heard my angel mumble.

Emmett came out of the kitchen, blocking my view of my girl. I guess the word 'revealing' called to him. I let out a huff and was about to go break it up when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I turned to see Renee standing behind me nervously with a suitcase. "Ms. Renee," I said smiling. I really was glad she was here. I hugged her and stepped back to look her over. She looked stressed and worn out. I was sure she could use a nap.

"Hello, Edward. I hope you don't mind me popping in unannounced."

"No, no, of course not, family is always welcome," I said.

She raised an eyebrow at me. We both knew Charlie was not welcome.

"Well, friendly family is always welcome. I'm glad you're here," I said patting her shoulder. "You look like you could use a good rest. I'm sure the jet lag is catching up to you."

"Oh, well..." she started nervously.

I didn't let her finish. "Emmett!" I called my brother and he came jogging over.

"You need to go save your girl. Alice is freaking her out with dresses and keeps using the word 'plunging.'"

"What?"I asked.

"You know, plunging neckline, plunging back," he said as if this was common knowledge.

"Alice!" I could not have her upsetting my girl and I knew exposing her back would be very upsetting to her.

"Edward, don't listen to him, the dress I picked out is gorgeous," she said showing me the book with the backless dress. It was beautiful but it would show off her scars.

"Alice," I said pulling her closer to me. I touched the page and my chest tightened because I knew my girl would never want to wear something like that. "It's beautiful, but Bella has a lot of scars across her back. She won't feel comfortable wearing anything that exposes them."

She looked up at me, realization settling in. "Oh, oh, god, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, Alice, just keep in mind she would probably be most comfortable in something that covers a lot of her skin. I'm sure you can figure it out."

"Of course, I'm such an idiot."

"No, you're a good friend and she needs you. Oh, and quit using the word plunging; Emmett says it's freaking her out."

"Right, okay," she said and scuttled away.

Renee looked up at me surprised. "Who was that?"

"That was Alice; Bella is one of her bridesmaids."

"Oh, well that's nice." Renee looked at her daughter talking with her friends across the room. Rosalie had joined them and they looked happy. "She looks like she's doing well."

"Yeah, she's doing better."

"So, she has scars?" she asked softly, her voice full of pain.

I wrapped my arm around her. "Don't fret on it. It won't make them go away," I said and turned to Emmett. "Can you take Ms. Renee up to the apartment and set her up in the extra room?"

"Sure, no problem."

"Ms. Renee, this is my little brother, Emmett. This is Ms. Renee, Bella's mom."

His eyes lit up. "I'm so glad to see you're okay. I know we were all worried about you. I'm glad you made it out safely," he said sincerely.

"Thank you, Emmett, that's very kind of you."

"Thank you, Ma'am, shall we?" he asked holding out his arm for her.

"Oh, can you move the trundle into that room, too? She looks like she could use some rest," I called after them.

"No problem, bro. I got her taken care of."

I saw her look up at him nervously but he smiled down at her with his welcoming smile that let people know he was a friendly giant.

I made my way to the kitchen and told my mother what was up. She set right on getting a meal put together for us and I walked out to the table to save Bella from the attack of the evil dresses. I put my arm around her and kissed her cheek. "I have something I want to show you upstairs," I whispered close to her ear.

I may have been mistaken, but she looked a little flushed and excited. I pulled her up in my arms and she kissed my neck as I led her out to our apartment steps.

She looked confused when she heard Emmett's loud boisterous laughter coming from our place. I rolled my eyes at her and opened the door.

"Edward!" Emmett said a little too loud. Bella flinched but didn't hide. She was used to Emmett by now. "Did you know that Chief Swan thinks you bought his daughter?" he said as if it was the funniest thing. "I was just telling Ms. Renee, you've got to have money to do that."

Bella's eyes settled on her mother and she squealed. She ran into her arms hugging her tightly. "Oh, Mom, I missed you!"

"I missed you, too, baby girl. It's so good to hear your voice. You seem to be doing so much better now that you're home with Edward."

Bella blushed lightly and I shoved Emmett out the door before he could say anything inappropriate.

"We were hoping you would come, Mom," Bella said excitedly and it was nice to hear her speak with such ease. "We even got the extra room ready."

"Did Emmett move the other bed?" I asked.

"Yes, he was able to get it in there. I, um, saw your room as well. So you really did sleep in separate beds?"

Bella blushed and nodded her head yes. "I sleep better with Edward, though."

Renee brushed her daughter's hair back from her face. "That's good, honey, you should feel safe with your husband. I just don't see why you don't get a bigger bed," she said glancing to our open door where you could see our twin bed with both sleeping bags.

I laughed a little. "I guess I didn't really think about it," I admitted. "We had a bed, so I never thought to get another."

Renee walked over and hugged me. I wasn't sure why. "Well, Edward, I think it's time you looked into getting a bigger bed so you can get some real sleep. I'm not the only one that looks tired."

She was right, but it wasn't the size of the bed that was keeping me up. It was the person in it.

A/N thanks for reading, please review.


	27. Chapter 27

**SM own's it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it. Sorry it is short but if you review I will give you a teaser of tomorrows.**

**Chapter 27 – Wrapped**

**Epov**

My mother came up with dinner for the four of us and excitedly talked with Renee as if they were old friends. My momma was always good at making people feel welcome like that. That was why her restaurant did so well.

Renee made me blush ten times over gushing about what a gentleman I was to my mother, and I couldn't help but feel a little guilty because she played me out to be innocent when I was anything but. I definitely wanted to get my hands on her daughter. I just loved Bella enough to know she wasn't ready yet.

Love.

Holy cow! I was pretty dang sure I was in love with Bella. I looked over at her and saw her beaming smile. Yup, there was no denying it. That girl had me wrapped around her finger. I would do anything for her to keep her happy and safe. She had been smiling more lately since we talked about her truly being my wife and I kind of hoped it was because of me.

Dinner went great and my mom made sure to tell Renee she was welcome in her kitchen. Bella insisted that her mother not be allowed to cook but she was great at dishes. Renee blushed and swore it was true. Apparently, she was responsible for several cases of food poisoning and seven kitchen fires. I told Renee if she wanted, she could help on the serving floor with me out front.

We had plans for Dr. Cullen to come and visit tomorrow and I called and invited him to dinner so he could visit with Renee as well. I think she could use a shrink herself. Even after her nap, she seemed exhausted. I wondered if she needed to see a doctor. Bella said that was a normal side effect of depression, though.

I guess things went downhill fast for Renee and Charlie after we left. Renee tried to still make it work for a while but it just wasn't happening. She said she still loved him dearly, but Chief Swan was not a bending man and would never change. I hoped that was not true. I hoped that things would straighten out with him and his daughter sometime in the future when she was stronger and could handle dealing with him.

I kissed my momma goodnight and we all got ready for bed. I climbed in and listened quietly as my girl talked with Renee about her doing school on line and how quickly she was finishing up. My girl was brilliant! Her mom was proud of her for not giving up on school. I overheard her talk about getting a college degree but she wasn't sure yet. My heart clinched a little. Did she want to leave and go away to college? Was she wising up and deciding she didn't want me anymore?

She came in and lay down on her side of the bed quietly for a moment. I hadn't realized I hadn't touched her until she rolled over and pouted. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, love, why would something be wrong?" I asked realizing I was a terrible liar as my voice squeaked

"Edward, what's bothering you?" she said leaning on my chest.

"Nothing, honey, I just worry sometimes that I'm holding you back," I said truthfully.

She climbed up my body straddling me and crossing her arms on my chest. We were face to face and she was trying to think of her next words because her face was screwed up in thought. "Nope," she said suddenly.

"What?"

"You asked if you were holding me back. The answer is nope."

"Are you sure? I mean, if you have a dream, I want you to fulfill it, honey. You know I would help any way I can, right?" I offered. It was true, I was sincere. I really would do whatever it took for her to be happy.

"Well, I was thinking…" she started.

Oh, boy, here it comes...

"Once I get done with my diploma, maybe I should see about getting a degree."

And there it was; she wanted to leave. I closed my eyes took a deep breath and readied myself for what I would say next, but she cut me off.

"I know it's expensive, but I noticed you don't have an accounting firm around here."

"What?" Now I was lost.

"I was thinking of maybe becoming an accountant?" she said unsure.

"Here?" I asked still grasping her words.

She nodded yes unsure.

"So, you don't want to leave me?"

Her eyes softened. "You thought I wanted to leave you?"

"Bella, I, you…" I stopped and took a deep breath, calming myself so I could explain. "You're so much better than me, honey; I'm a poor sailor slash bus boy slash kitchen laborer. You have so much potential and you're so beautiful. You really could do so much better than me."

She frowned and started running her fingers through my hair. "Oh, Edward, don't you see? You're everything I need. You're sweet, kind, and patient. You're such a gentleman sometimes I think I've fallen back in time."

"You know Momma would beat me with a hot spatula if I wasn't."

She laughed. "I know, but even when she's not around, you're still a good man all the way through your heart and soul. You take care of me and have never asked for anything in return."

"You give me so much already," I interrupted.

"See, there you go being sweet again. No wonder Lottie is always leaving you big tips. I know if you would shake your butt a little, you could make us rich," she giggled.

"No! She's just being nice!"

"Edward, she doesn't have an eye twitch, she's winking at you."

"What? Really?"

"Yes, baby, that Lottie is going after my man. Next time she better watch herself or I'll beat her with her own cane."

"Bella, I don't know how my mom would feel about you beating up the bridge club grannies that meet at the diner."

She let out a playful sigh. "Fine, but if she pinches your butt, I'm not coming to your rescue."

"You think she would?" I asked.

"Oh, yes, definitely. You need to watch it around those ladies, Edward. They all have an eye on your perfect backside."

I felt my ego swell, or maybe it was my pants. She called my butt perfect.

She must have noticed the change because suddenly she was leaning down a lot closer to me and I found myself looking at her lips. I forced myself to look at her eyes and noticed that she was looking at my mouth and I licked my lips in anticipation. My breathing picked up and I really hoped for a repeat of that first kiss.

Her fingers wound into my hair and I heard her say my name softly. She shifted on my lap, making me moan when she came in contact with my manhood through my thin pajama pants. The next thing I knew, her lips were on mine. My hands flew to her hips, holding her steady as I tasted her fresh minty mouth. She pushed down on me again and I had to fight myself so I wouldn't push back against her. I didn't want to scare her. I would let her lead.

After a few heavenly moments, she pulled back smiling down at me. I knew I was smiling like an idiot because my face was hurting from smiling so big. I was still panting hard and I did my best not to notice how fast her chest was rising as she was panting catching her breath.

I needed to settle myself down before I did something stupid. "It's late," I said and opened her sleeping bag. She pouted but slipped in as I zipped her up. I pulled her back tightly against me, and I may have ground into her backside a little, on accident of course. "Thank you for the kiss," I said and kissed her shoulder and neck. "It was perfect and amazing, just like the first one."

She turned and smiled over her shoulder at me and I leaned up and gave her a light peck on the lips. "You're beautiful," I blurted out and she smiled.

"Goodnight, Edward."

"Night."

"Goodnight, you two!" her mother called. "You really should look into getting a bigger bed. Maybe one that doesn't squeak quite so much."

Oh, Lord, her mother heard us! I groaned and hid my face in Bella's back and she just giggled. She was going to be the death of me!

Thanks for reading please review!


	28. Chapter 28

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 28 – Pushing It**

**Epov**

I woke up the next morning to the smell of breakfast. That wasn't unusual. As housewives went, Bella was awesome in that aspect. It was rare that I didn't wake to breakfast. When I didn't, usually that meant something was wrong. Breakfast being ready was her way of signaling me that she was having a good day. I heard the washer going and knew she had been up for a while because it was on spin cycle. I stumbled toward the bathroom room only to collide with Renee. "Oh, I'm sorry," I said and waved for her to go by. She hurried into the bathroom quickly. I guess she really had to go.

I went to the kitchen and found Bella. I wanted to wrap her in my arms and kiss her neck. She saw me watching her intently and made her way over to me. She pushed into my arms and I hugged her tightly and nuzzled her hair, leaving a light kiss on her neck. "You must be a mind reader," I whispered.

She looked up at me amused. "Why, you wanted eggs for breakfast?" she asked teasingly curious.

"No, I wanted to hold you in my arms and kiss your neck, but I don't want to push you."

Her face flushed and her eyes darkened. Her fingers made their way up into my hair and she pulled me down to her lips, kissing me softly and then a little firmly. "Maybe you were reading _my_ mind? Ever think of that?" she said and went back to the counter where she was working on some toast.

Renee came out of the bathroom looking worse for wear and Bella gave her some toast. "I think I'm going to just catch up on some rest today," she said weakly. She looked a little green.

Bella looked at her mother curiously. "Okay," she said and gave her a kiss on the top of the head, reversing their roles.

When I came out of the bathroom, Bella was waiting for me, looking nervous. "What's wrong?" I asked and pulled her into my arms out of habit, wanting to soothe her. Luckily for me she didn't protest, resting her head on my chest.

"I'm worried about my mother. I think she's sick."

"That's not uncommon. Lots of people get sick after they fly. She needs to adjust to the time difference as well, honey."

"I'm scared. I don't want to lose her. What if it's bad? I just got her back," she squeaked at me.

"Oh, honey." I picked her up, cradling her in my lap as I sat on our bed. "I don't think you're going to lose her. She's just stressed and tired. Just give her a day or two and she'll perk right up. If she isn't feeling better by the end of the week, we'll take her to the doctor."

She took a shaky breath. "Promise?"

"I promise. You're my girl, have I ever let you down?"

She shook her head no with a trace of a smile on her face.

I left her with her mother and went downstairs to help my mom in the restaurant. Without Bella distracting me, I noticed that Dr. Cullen was checking out my mom's butt. That was all kinds of wrong! "Hey, man, that's my mom. Don't be looking at her like that!" I complained. He and my mother both blushed.

"Edward, I'm a grown woman. I don't mind a little attention, especially from a fine gentleman like Dr. Cullen."

"Gentlemen don't..."

"Edward, I consider you a gentleman, but do I not often have to remind you to lift your eyes to Bella's face?" she scolded.

She had me there. I pouted at them. "Don't be touching my momma," I growled at Carlisle and stormed out.

I forgot myself and slammed my door, causing Bella to jump and panic. I felt like such a jerk after that. "Oh, baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I was just upset, but not with you."

"What is it?" she asked me worried. I realized she probably thought it was something having to do with the villains that were trying to steal her from me.

I groaned a little. "Dr. Cullen was looking at my mom."

She looked at me confused. "What?"

"He was, you know, _looking_ at her," I said again.

"I don't understand," she said.

"He was checking her out. honey. Esme's a hotty. I don't blame Dr. Cullen. I'd hit that, but I don't swing that way," Renee said.

I stood there slack jawed for a moment.

Renee and Bella burst out laughing and I pulled myself together. "That's my momma!"

"Yes, your momma, not a nun, Edward. You have to figure she was doing something to get you and your brother," she added.

"Oh, my…NO!" I covered my ears. "No no no!" I started loudly saying la la la to keep from hearing anything else she said and ran and hid in the bedroom, sticking my head under the pillow. I didn't know how this day ended up turning out so bad when it had started so good.

I felt a hand on my back, but I wasn't going to risk it being Renee trying to coax me out to tell me more horrible things I didn't want to know about my mother. I buried my face deeper into my bed under my pillow, whimpering a little. I couldn't get far enough away.

I thought I heard the front door open and close but the hand was still on my back. Did Bella go to get Esme?

Then the back of my shirt started slipping up. What the hell? Please, Lord, let that be my wife and not her mother. I felt a soft kiss on my back and I shivered. Now I really hoped it was Bella.

I peeked out from under the side of the pillow and saw Bella's dark hair draping down my side and I let out a sigh. She really was beautiful. I felt a tug on the pillow I was hiding under and I let her take it from me. She set it next to me and pushed me over so I was on my back. She pushed my legs down from their curled up knot. Apparently, I had been cowering in the fetal position.

She straddling me and crossed her arms on my chest like she did last night.

"Is she gone?" I whispered.

Bella smiled. "Yes, Edward, and I told her not to talk about your mom anymore."

I let out a sigh of relief and hugged her. "Thanks, honey."

She just smiled and giggled.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"For once I saved you," she said smiling.

"Ah, honey, you've saved me a ton of times, you just don't know it."

"Really? How?"

"Well, being married has all sorts of benefits, one of which is to keep the skank patrol off my back."

She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Of course, since you said you wouldn't save me from Lottie's butt pinching, I don't know if I should dock you brownie points for that."

She started laughing.

It sounded so beautiful and my body reacted to it. She felt my body change under her. Her eyes darkened.

"Your laugh is beautiful. I love hearing it," I told her. "Your smile is amazing, I love seeing it on your face."

She leaned down, closing in on my lips and shifting her weight so she rubbed against me. I fought the urge to push back but let the groan escape. Her lips were warm, soft, and gentle. Her hands were in my hair and mine were on her hips. I felt her shift again, causing me to groan and I bucked on accident. Her lips popped off mine. I looked up at her wide eyed and embarrassed. "I'm so sorry."

She looked at me confused. "For what?"

"I, um, I, I…" I bit my lip and scrunched my eyes shut.

"Edward?" she said my name sweetly, "Look at me," she pleaded.

I could deny her nothing so I opened my eyes and saw her worried face.

"What are you sorry for?"

"I…" I looked away ashamed. "I pushed myself into you."

"What?"

"I pushed." I was losing it. "I pushed it against you, I'm sorry, honey, I never want to make you feel uncomfortable," I said.

She let out a sigh. "You pushed against me? That's why you're sorry? Because you think it'll make me uncomfortable?"

I nodded yes.

She leaned down and kissed my neck under my chin and then ground down against me hard. She continued to grind against me and kissed her way to my ear. "I pushed first," she said and sucked my earlobe into her mouth.

I was sporting an Eifel tower in my pants now and she was making it worse. In fact, it seemed like she was doing it on purpose and liking it. Then I felt her hand on my butt and she squeezed it, causing me to buck up against her again. "I like it when you push," she whispered in my ear and it was all I could do not to flip us over on the bed and plow into her.

I buried my hand in her hair and brought her lips up to mine, letting myself get lost in her taste. I loved kissing her. I would do this until my lips fell off and then I would get lip transplants and go back to doing it some more.

"Holy smoke, bro! I thought you said you weren't hitting that!" my horrible brother yelled. I was going to kill him! Bella practically leaped across the room and I pulled my shoe off my foot and threw it at the idiot's head.

He dodged it laughing and I went to check on my girl, wrapping her in my arms. "Are you okay?" I asked softly.

She was still blushing a deep red but nodded yes.

I let out a sigh. "I'm sorry my stupid brother interrupted us," I said and kissed her cheek.

She gave me a soft smile.

"You going to be okay? I want to get rid of him," I said and she nodded yes. I hated when my girl got startled to a point of silence. It made me want to punch the offender in the face. I gave her a soft smile but as soon as I faced Emmett, I gave him my death glare. When I walked into the front room, Renee was sitting at the kitchen table. I guess she came back with Emmett.

"At least oil the springs on that thing. I swear, the way you two were going at it, I thought you were hosting a mouse convention with all that squeaking," she teased.

"Dude, that was awesome!" Emmett added.

"Just shut up already," I growled at him.

"You really ought to see about getting a bigger bed, at least a queen. I've known a few men who fell off my full size one," Renee said and I wanted to die. Please, Lord, don't make me listen to my mother in law's sexcapades. That was just all kinds of wrong.

"Hey, dude, you should see if you could get Alice's bed. I'm sure she would give you a good deal on it. She isn't going to need it when she moves in with Jasper. Well, she pretty much has moved in with Jasper already," Emmett said.

Even though I was pissed at him, I had to admit he had a point. Maybe it was time we invested in another bed. I looked back at the bedroom door where Bella was still in hiding and I smiled.

She liked it when I pushed back.

A/N So my lovelies, things are heating up. Let me know what you think!


	29. Chapter 29

**Okay y'all are going to want to kill me when you get to the end but that is cool and to make it even worse, I am going to my Beta's house to play for the weekend so my updates will most likely be a little last. **

**Good news is that when her and I get together, crazy funny ends up in the story. She is a lot of fun!**

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma freaking rocks! And she betas for me. I wrote this mess so please don't hurt me.**

**Chapter 29 Windows**

**Epov**

Emmett sat down at the table and snagged a piece of toast from the center plate. I looked at him waiting. There had to be a reason he decided to just show up with Renee. "Emmett, why are you here?" I asked.

"Oh, Ms. Renee said you were freaking because you just found out that Carlisle is shagging mom."

"WHAT?" I shouted.

"You didn't know? Dude, bro, you must be blinded by Bella because it's been going on for months," he said laughing.

I shook my head no. "Our therapist is is is…Mom?" I asked not wanting the answer.

I realized now there were so many hints I missed. Mom frequently called Dr. Cullen by his first name of Carlisle, and when things started getting crazy with the kidnappers, she turned to him for help. Oh, my god! He said she could handle a gun! Was he making a sick joke?

"Dude, bro, you going to be alright? You're looking a little sick, man. You should be happy, Carlisle's really cool."

"You knew?" I asked.

He just shrugged. "It's really obvious, man. I didn't realize you didn't." Then something seemed to click in his head. "Oh, man! You're still a virgin!" he shouted.

I punched his shoulder. "What the heck does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, I didn't really catch the signs until after, you know, me and Rosie. I just thought they were dating," he explained. "But you can tell by the way he looks at Mom that it's more than that."

"Just shut up please. I don't want to hear about Mom doing…that!" I shouted trying to pull myself together.

"You're a virgin?" Renee asked sounding really amused. "Well, that explains a lot. No wonder you keep freaking out on me."

"Can we not discuss this?" I snapped.

"Dude, I just realized, I lost it before my older brother! I so rock!" Emmett said jumping up doing a freaking victory dance.

"Get out of here!" I said shoving him to the door and pushing him out. I didn't want to discuss this anymore.

Renee looked over at me smiling widely as if she'd just found out something amazing. I didn't like it. I didn't want to discuss my virginity with my mother in law. That was just wrong on so many levels. She grabbed a piece of toast and started down the hall. "I'm going to take a nap," she said smiling too big for my liking still. "How old are you again, Edward?" she asked.

"Twenty-four," I grumbled.

"You know, Edward, I don't think I could have picked a better man for my daughter," she said pulling on my arm and kissed my cheek. "You're a good guy, Edward. Thanks for loving my daughter."

I couldn't believe I actually blushed. I hadn't actually said I love you to Bella, but I did love her. I wondered if I was as obvious as Carlisle was.

I went into our bedroom and found Bella snuggled up in my sleeping bag.

"Hey, you doing alright?" I asked and she smiled at me and nodded yes.

She reached out a hand to me and pulled me into the bed. We wiggled around until we both squeezed in. "So, are you really a virgin?" she asked me.

I dropped my head to the pillow. Why was this so important to everyone? I shrugged. "Are you okay with that?" I asked.

She smiled really big. "Of course. I actually really like it. I don't feel so pressured."

"You felt pressured? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…"

She cut me off. "Edward, not really by you, but by me. I mean, we're married, and if you were experienced, you would be well within your rights to want me to, you know..."

"Nothing is within my rights, Bella; you never have to do anything you don't feel comfortable with. Do you understand me?" I said looking at her seriously in the eyes.

She blushed lightly but nodded yes. "So, we're both virgins," she stated.

"Yeah, I guess so," I said not sure where this was going.

"So, um, have you ever messed around?" she asked.

"What?" I was confused.

"You know, like first, second, and third base?" she asked.

"Baseball? I played in little league for a while but I didn't get into it in high school. It really wasn't my thing."

"Edward, that's not what I meant." She let out a huff then whispered, "Have you ever touched a girl's private areas?"

I was sure my face must have looked comical because my eyes felt like they had widened and popped out of my head. Bella did giggle a little at me.

"I'm not asking you to touch me. I just wanted to know if you've ever touched anyone before."

"I…I…I…" I cleared my throat and then just shook my head no.

She smiled at me. I wanted to ask her if she had ever touched someone or did someone do the touching but I knew that would be a delicate subject. It may have happened when she was taken and I didn't want to upset her.

"You're really sweet, you know that?" she said smiling at me.

"Thanks, I, um, yeah, you, too," I fumbled. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to let her know I really liked her but you shouldn't tell your wife you just like her. You should say you love her but I didn't want to scare her. I realized then our relationship was very complicated.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"We're going to have to take things really slow," she said nervously.

"I don't mind at all," I said smiling.

Our private moment was interrupted by vomiting, not mine or hers, but her mother's. Bella jumped up and ran to her mother's side where she was waved off. Renee insisted that she was fine but that didn't stop Bella from giving me a worried look as she followed her mom into her room. I followed them to Renee's doorway and watched as Bella tried to care for her mother as she insisted she really was fine. She just thought the room was a little stuffy and maybe if she opened a window she would feel better.

I saw my girl freeze at her mother's words. As Renee moved toward the window, I saw my girl shutting down. I ran into the room and blocked Renee from the window. She looked at me as if I was nuts. "We can't open the window."

"Why, is it stuck?" Renee asked.

I looked at her with pleading eyes, willing her to understand and not make me say it. She looked at me confused and then glanced over at her daughter, most likely to ask what the hell was wrong with me, but then she saw Bella was a shaking mess. She looked back at me as the realization dawned on her why I was telling her no. "It's painted shut, isn't it?" she said confusing me for a minute but then she winked at me. "That's fine. I'll just step out on your balcony for a moment and I'll be fine," she said and walked out.

As soon as she walked out of the room, I ran to my girl, sweeping her up in my arms and carrying her to our room which I knew was her safe place. "Are you okay?" I asked.

She nodded yes but she didn't look okay.

"She isn't going to opened it. No one is going to open any of them, okay?" I tried to comfort her but she just buried her face in my chest and started to cry. I held her for a while as she slowed to a whimper.

"I thought I was getting better," she sniffled.

"You are; you're doing great."

"The window…"

"Hey, you're fine, and you're doing so much better. Don't worry about the window. Dr. Cullen said we would find triggers and I suspected the windows would be one for a long time now."

"You did?"

"Yeah, you may not have noticed it but you never walk by the windows and you never open them. It's fine. I don't mind. It isn't a big deal; we'll work through it together," I promised her.

She let out a defeated sigh.

"You want to do some writing? It might help you feel a little better," I suggested.

She nodded yes and I grabbed her notebook and pens for her. She lay on the bed and pulled me down with her, wrapping my arms around her. I was sure Renee would let my mom know I was busy with Bella and I wasn't too worried about missing part of my shift. My mom would know it was important if I stayed, and Bella feeling safe was important to us all.

"I can see what you're writing. Do you want to shift around so I can't?" I asked.

She smiled over her shoulder at me. "No, you can see it," she said and I felt like I had been given a special gift.

I took a deep breath and read her elegant handwriting, trying to steal myself against any reactions. I didn't want her to ever think that she had upset me. Nothing she wrote was her fault and she didn't need to see my anger, it would only scare her.

'_Windows are the bane of my existence. It was how I was taken; they were how I was teased. I could see the outside but couldn't go there. I was trapped and the tiny hole that was my window offered no solace. It just proved people knew I was there and didn't care. It proved there was no hope for me. _

_Now I see these windows and see my bedroom window with those monsters climbing through it. I freeze and I wonder if it really was the drugs that stopped me from fighting back or the fear. I feel guilty never being sure which it was.'_

I pulled her tighter against me. "It wouldn't have mattered. They were bigger and stronger, and someone had betrayed you on the inside. You couldn't have stopped them. Don't ever think that it was your fault," I said fiercely and hugged her tightly to me. I wanted her to know she was safe and I wanted her to know that absolutely no one blamed her for what happened. There was nothing she could have done. If she had called for help, her mother would have sent in Phil who would have probably helped the kidnappers get her out the window. No, she had no hope then, but she did now.

She fell asleep in my arms and I lay there just looking at her sad face. I pulled her tighter to me and whispered she was safe in her ear, hoping that my voice would soothe her. She snuggled deeper into me and sighed, smiling slightly. I loved that she felt safe with me. I would never do anything to compromise her safety, and she knew that.

Renee poked her head in our room. "How is she?" she asked worried.

"She'll be fine. She just needed some rest."

"Did she have to take another pill?" she asked.

"No, those are reserved for when she stops seeing reality and gets pulled back to her kidnappers."

Renee leaned against the door closing her eyes. Her expression was pained. "This is all my fault. I was so stupid."

"Hey, hey, you didn't know. How were you supposed to know? Bella said he was a con man, so that just meant he made it his life's work to fool people. Don't blame yourself."

"You both are way too good to me. I can't believe she forgave me. How could I have been so stupid?" she fussed.

"Renee."

"And I don't know what they did to her," she started to cry.

"Hey." I was still pinned by my girl. I didn't know how to calm her mother.

"Her back. Oh, God, Edward, what happened to her back?" she asked.

"I know, just settle down and I'll tell you."

She sniffled a little but I figured that was as settled as she was going to get.

"There was an explosion. I think Charlie mentioned it to you. There were a couple of them really, and she was blown out a window. She wasn't tortured that I know of, but the marks weren't left by her captors, they were left by the explosion when she escaped."

She sniffled a little. "My baby girl is still so…"

"Hey, she's doing a lot better. We're working on it. She's fine, Renee. Your baby girl is fine." She looked so small and upset over there all alone. "Do you want to come hold her while she sleeps?" I asked thinking this may help her feel a little better.

She smiled sadly at me then nodded yes. As we shifted around on the bed, it squeaked like mad and I wondered how we didn't wake my girl up. Once Renee was tucked in with Bella, I went to call Dr. Cullen. We were going to need sessions for both of them. My girls were messed up but I would do everything in my power to fix them.

I glanced back at the pair curled around each other and wondered how that animal Phil could ever try and sell either of them. He had to be a sick bastard and I knew that messed up my mother in law bad. She was the one that led her daughter to the big bad wolf and that was going to take some time to get over.

When I reached for my phone, I was surprised it rang. I picked it up answering it, thinking it would be my mom or brother because they were the only ones with this number.

"Edward," a gruff voice said.

My hackles raised in defense. I knew exactly who was calling me. I didn't know how the hell they got my number but they were not getting my family.

A/N Feel free to swear and speculate in the reviews. If you guess right I will confirm it so you don't have to be hanging all weekend while I over indulge in chocolate with Dollybigmomma.


	30. Chapter 30

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it!**

**Chapter 30 – Expired**

**Epov**

I was seething. What the hell was Chief Swan calling me for? There was no way in hell I was letting him talk to his daughter, and I was not going to let him take her from me either. She was MINE!

"Chief Swan," I said tightly in greeting.

He let out a sigh, "Edward, did Renee show up at your place?"

"Yes, she did. She's staying with us."

"She is?" he sounded surprised.

"Yes, she is. She's welcome because she does not upset my WIFE!" I snapped.

I heard a growl at the other end.

It sounded like he was going to say something but I cut him off. "What is it you want?"

"My family!"

"Well, maybe if you would learn to control your temper and not be a stubborn ass, they would be at your house and not mine."

"Now you look here, boy..."

"I'm not a boy. I'm a grown married man, and I'm taking care of your daughter and you're ex wife. Now, I know Dr. Cullen said there was an understandable reason for you to be acting out like this but I will not stand for you upsetting Bella. She was a mess when we got home. You set her back and I will not let you do it again! She's having a hard enough time as it is and she doesn't need you making it worse."

He was silent.

"Chief, if you want to be in your daughter's life, you're going to have to accept me as well. I know you don't like it, but she needs me right now."

I heard a little huff.

"Look, if you want to come and visit, you can sleep on the couch. We really do only have the two twin beds and Renee is using one of them, but if you promise to behave yourself and not raise your voice, you can visit."

"Now you look here..."

"NO! You look here. I get that you don't like me, but you cannot and will not yell in front of your daughter! If you have a problem, you will keep your mouth shut and take it outside where she doesn't have to be subjected to it. She can't handle the yelling."

"Take it outside?" he said confused.

"Look, Chief, I get that you're her dad and you should be in her life, but you need to understand that being loud really terrifies your little girl. She's really been through hell and back. If you want to yell at me, you wait until we're outside away from her and then we can hash out our differences. I'm willing to do this for her but you absolutely cannot raise your voice around her. Do you understand?" I asked.

He let out another huff. "Yes," he said tightly.

"Okay, our couch is open for you, but I will warn you; if you upset my girl, I will not hesitate to throw you out on your ear. This is her safe place and I don't need you taking that from her and making her upset. I really do want things to work out for you and your daughter, Chief. I think it could be good for her in the end, but you really need to keep yourself under control around her. She's fragile right now and has been through too much and she doesn't need you adding to it."

I heard a grunt and then the line disconnected. I looked back at the sleeping women in my bed hoping I did the right thing inviting him here. Of course, he might not come at all. I really thought he hated me but he could hate me all he wanted. I was not letting him upset my girl.

By the end of the week, Renee was still getting sick but she refused to let Bella take her to the doctor, which really upset my girl. Renee insisted that she was fine and knew exactly what it was. I was curious about the way she said it, though, like she was more pissed than upset or worried.

That night, I woke up to overhear a conversation I probably shouldn't have.

"Damn it, Charlie, just check the fucking expiration date!" I heard my mother in law yell into the phone. I was used to hearing the men on the ship swear up a storm, but it was very uncommon for me to hear that kind of language coming out of a lady.

"Because, Charlie, I have a very damn good inkling that they're fucking expired. I'm so going to kill you!" she shouted.

I looked down at my girl worried she would wake, but she just snuggled deeper.

"Guess, Charlie, just fucking guess!" she snarled then promptly burst into tears.

"Yes, I am, you asshole! I can't believe you did this to me again!" she said and then hung up the phone. She slid to the floor and started bawling and I was at a loss. I didn't know what to do.

I shifted my girl carefully off of me and went to check on her mother. "Ms. Renee, are you alright?"

She startled when she saw me standing there. "Oh, yes, I'm fine. Don't mind me," she said dismissively.

"Would you like some tea?" I asked.

She let out a soft laughed and shook her head. "She really hit the jack pot with you didn't she. You're so sweet, Edward."

I offered her my hand to help her off the floor.

"Some tea sounds great right now. Hopefully, I can keep it down," she added. I made us both a cup and we sat down in the kitchen. She sipped it tentatively, sighing deep in thought.

"You know, Bella would feel a whole lot better if you would see a doctor. They might know how to fix whatever it is that's wrong and making you sick."

She smiled at me. "Oh, honey, I'll go see a doctor but it'll probably take a few more weeks until I start feeling better," she said cryptically.

"Well, it'll make Bella feel better anyway. Do you want me to look one up for you?" I asked.

"No, I think I'm going to talk to your mother about finding a doctor. It's more of a woman thing," she said making me blush and her giggle.

"Oh, Edward, you really are adorable. We're so lucky to have you in the family," she said as she got up and patted my shoulder before she disappeared into her room.

I didn't know what was wrong with Renee but I hoped the doctor could take care of it. I just hoped it wasn't contagious.

Emmett actually talked to Alice for us about the bed and a week later, we were unloading it from his truck, trying to get it to squeeze past the buildings and behind the restaurant so we could get it upstairs.

"Dude, bro, hold up, just give me a minute," he complained breathing hard. It was a heavy king sized pillow top mattress and we both were dying a slow death trying to move it.

We set it down, propping it against the next building and leaned against it, looking into the restaurant window. We smiled, watching the girls holding up their dresses they'd just gotten in this morning. Rose was wearing hers and Bella was holding hers against her body smiling. She was going to be a beautiful bridesmaid.

I kind of wished I could hear what was being said because my girl was laughing and smiling widely. I loved seeing her smile.

My brother punched my shoulder. "You got it bad, bro."

"What?" I asked annoyed.

"You love her," he said teasing.

I just rolled my eyes at him. "She's my wife. I'm supposed to love her, dimwit."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but you know, it's nice to see that you do for real, otherwise I might have had to kick your butt."

I shook my head at him.

"What? She's my little sister now so it's well within my rights to beat you up if you upset her."

"I won't be upsetting her, Emmett. I do my best to do the exact opposite of that."

"I know, dude, just thought I'd give you a heads up." He looked back in the windows while I looked down the alley, wondering how much further we had to carry this monster when Emmett caught my attention again. "Hey, who's that dude upsetting Bella?"

My head snapped around and my eyes widened when I saw Chief Swan standing in the restaurant talking to my wife. I saw Renee and Esme come rushing out of the kitchen and I ran full speed around to the entrance to get to my girl. That bastard better not upset my girl.

As I made it through the door, I heard my momma saying firmly, "Ya'll just settle down or I'll beat you with my hot spatula!" she threatened Charlie and Renee. My mom let out a relieved breath when she saw me come in and I rushed to Bella's side, immediately wrapping her in my arms.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

She nodded her head yes, turning into me and snuggling into my arms. "Please don't let him take me," she whispered.

"I won't, I promise."

I looked up at Chief Swan. He looked so sad and defeated. I looked at Renee and she looked pissed. I hoped these two could get along for Bella's sake. "Chief Swan," I said stepping forward shaking his hand, "Why don't you grab your bag and I'll take you up to our place? Maybe you can give my brother and me a hand with the bed we have and you can take the other twin we have instead of the couch," I offered.

"What?" Renee snapped at me making Bella jump in my arms. "He's staying with us?"

"Yes, I thought it would be easier on Bella if Chief Swan tried to reacquaint himself at our place. He will not be yelling around our girl so it should be fine," I said turning toward the exit, leading him to our place.

"Charlie, you SOB! I'm going to beat your ass as soon as our little girl is out of sight!" Renee hissed at him angrily.

"Renee, please, just give me a second chance," he begged.

"I did, and you were a complete asshole, throwing all my mistakes in my face after you said you were over it! I can't do it, Charlie. I don't want to waste my life rehashing old grudges."

"Please, bunny, for the baby, just let's try one more time," he begged and we all froze and looked at the pair shocked.

"Baby?" Esme asked looking at me.

I fervently shook my head no, throwing up my hands. "It wasn't me."

Bella shook her head no as well, and then we noticed Renee hanging her head frustrated, and suddenly it was all starting to make sense.

"Mom?" I heard Bella question.

She walked over to us and Renee gave us a sad smile. "Yeah, it was not exactly something I had planned," she said sourly. "At least I'm not a scared sixteen year old this time. I can take care of myself and my baby," she said hugging Bella.

"Well, congratulations, Renee. How exciting!" my momma said wrapping her in her arms. "Good things come in small packages. I'll have to make a special dinner for y'all to celebrate the good news, and Chief Swan's arrival."

The Chief looked a little nauseated. Bella surprisingly looked shocked but not afraid. I led them all up to my place and then asked the Chief to help me move the bed.

"That's an awful big bed."

"Yeah, well, free is free," I said tugging on the mattress.

"Yeah, 'bout time Eddie boy got laid," Emmett said. I realized that he was not aware this was Bella's father.

"Shut up! There'll be no laying like that!" I growled.

"Dude, it's freaking nuts that you're married and still a virgin! It just ain't right!"

"Emmett, will you shut up already! I don't want to discuss this in front of my father in law!" I growled.

Emmett looked at Chief Swan wide eyed. "Dude, man, sorry, Eddie isn't banging your daughter, if that's what you're worried about."

"Emmett! Just stop talking!" I shouted at him.

I was surprised when Chief Swan suddenly started chuckling.

"Chief Swan, this is my obnoxious little brother, Emmett. Feel free to hit him and yell at him. Bella is used to that."

That seemed to just make him laugh even harder. I really hoped this worked out for all of us. I had a feeling having him and Renee under the same roof was going to be a challenge. But maybe if they worked things out, Renee would go back home with Charlie and I would have my girl alone in the big bed.

I quickly pushed that thought out of my head. I needed to keep myself under control while the Chief was here, and like Bella said, we had to go slow. But it was hard not to be a little excited about getting a bigger bed. I wondered if it squeaked.

For the sake of my manhood staying attached, I hoped it didn't.

**A/N: I'm out of town visiting Dollybigmomma and we're having a blast, but I won't have a chance to write since we're playing! Y'all won't get an update on Sunday but I'll get back to work on Monday I swear! Thanks for reading and please review!**


	31. Chapter 31

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.**

**Chapter 31 sounds like the start of a bad joke.**

**Epov**

I found out later why the Chief was being so cool. He had checked out my record and my story about being on a ship. It was verified that I was indeed the first officer on the last run and that I was nowhere near the area Bella was when she first escaped. Captain Peter Towers also confirmed that he was the one to marry us, hoping to keep my girl from being sent back to Germany where she was picked up. I guess he may have also mentioned that I had only kissed her on the cheek. He also vouched for me, saying I was a good man that he liked to keep on the ship to set an example for the others and that Charlie's daughter was lucky to happen upon my quarters and not those of someone else. Knowing most of the guys I had sailed with, that would have been a catastrophe of epic proportions for Bella's fragile condition back then.

I later received a call from Captain Towers. He was not all that happy about my helping hide a stowaway but I explained that it was extenuating circumstances that made me keep her hidden. I also told him about the men that had come looking for her when they saw her name on the marriage license. Of course, the one thing that made him finally forgive me was when I told him that I loved her. Bella was in the back bedroom with her mother making the beds up so she didn't hear me, but when I hung up and turned around, I saw the chief smiling at me.

We went back to work helping the girls with the beds. Renee wasn't happy about sharing the room with Charlie but he was happy to be sharing with her, even if it was on a separate twin bed. When we went to bed that night, we could hear the low hum of them arguing but couldn't make out the words. I looked down at Bella and she had a little smile on her face.

"Why are you smiling?"

She glanced at the door. "My parents still love each other."

I looked at her surprised. "Are you sure? Renee seems more pissed than in love."

She rolled her eyes at me. "They're talking, they're fighting. They'll work it out now that they're open to talking. The months leading up to my mom leaving were so quiet. It seemed like the whole place was silent without her chatter or their fighting. She had given up."

We noticed that their room had fallen silent and she looked a little worried. I hoped for her sake they had worked it out. We got our confirmation that they had a few minutes later when a bed started squeaking out a steady rhythm.

Bella's eyes widened and I grinned widely. "I guess they worked it out," I said snickering.

She smacked my chest and put her head under the pillow which was a good thing because the chief started calling out, "Ah, Bunny!" and I knew that was his pet name for Renee. He had called her that when he first arrived. I think I knew why he called her Bunny now. At the rate those springs were squeaking, I was worried the bed would give out.

I pulled Bella close to me and closed my eyes. I knew someday that would be us, but now wasn't the time. I did my best to ignore her soft form pressed right up against me. Apparently, the sleeping bags were out. I wasn't sure if that was a good idea but there was no getting around it now. Alice had given us all her bedding, stating that it was too girly for Jasper's place and so I was now trying to sleep under a frilly pink floral print, with Bella's soft round perfect butt pressed firmly right into my cock. She squirmed a little, making me twitch. I immediately started thinking of slicing fruit. That usually worked.

There was just something about cutting fruit that would knock it down for me. I figured this out in high school. It wasn't that I wasn't interested in girls; I just didn't have the time. My dad had started slowing down and now we knew it was because of the lung cancer. I took over a lot of the work at the restaurant, nearly running it as my mom would help my dad. Of course, me being so stressed and focused on trying to help my family left me with very little social life, and when I did get out, I was usually worried about what was going on at work. I didn't make for good company.

My peers seemed so immature, worrying about their hair, shoes, or the next big movie coming out, and it all seemed so superficial. They were so focused on themselves that it made me jealous and annoyed. I didn't have time for that crap and I guess I became a little bitter about it all and it caused me to grow up quickly. I couldn't take it out on my mom, though. I saw how sad and stressed she was taking care of my dad and knew I couldn't say anything to her, not to mention my dad would have gotten up out of the bed and whooped me good if I made her cry, so I did my best to do my job of taking care of my mom, and I had been doing it ever since.

My working on the ships was her idea. She thought I could use a break from the restaurant, and Captain Towers was a good friend of my father. He took me on, and after a few years and a few runs, I was finally promoted to first officer on his ship. I did my best to be the man my daddy raised, and Captain Towers would always remind me of whom I was when he called me by my name of McCarty.

I'm guessing if I wasn't a close family friend, he would have had my hide for helping a stowaway. I knew that he loved me like a son and that was the only reason he didn't toss me on my ear with Bella when he found us that day. I thank God for that.

When I woke the next morning on the new bed, I had to chuckle to myself. I was squished on the edge of it with Bella tucked into my side. The wide expanse of the king size bed had gone to waste.

Bella woke and realized I was nearly off the bed. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

"No, don't apologize for snuggling. I don't think I would have slept as well if you had moved away from me during the night. I like knowing you're safe by my side," I said quickly. I did love feeling her next to me.

She smiled softly and then slipped out of bed, heading for the bathroom. I could already hear Charlie and Renee up and thought I'd better get in the kitchen before they burned the place down because according to Bella, neither one could really cook worth a lick.

When I came out, Charlie was toasting some bread and Renee was buttering it. I supposed that was safe enough. "You want me to make some eggs?" I asked.

Renee quickly shook her head no.

"Eggs tend to make her queasy," Charlie offered. "Do you have stuff to make pancakes?" he asked.

"Actually, my mom has a mess of them ready for the breakfast crowd. I can run down and get some," I offered as I stretched.

"Thank you, Edward," Renee said.

"Sure, not problem," I said and slipped out of the apartment and down the stairs.

When my mother saw me she smiled. "How are things going with Bella's parents?"

"Good. They seemed to have made up last night so hopefully things will go better during their visit."

"Oh, honey, things seldom go smoothly in love and when you throw expecting a baby into the mix with crazy hormones, it'll just get worse."

I looked at her confused. I always figured having a baby would be a fun and exciting thing when the time came. It would be amazing to see Bella carrying my child.

Momma snapped me out of my dazed look. "Trust me, honey, the stress of expecting a baby does nothing but hurt a relationship. True, it's exciting but it's just as stress inducing as well," she explained as she helped me pack up some pancakes.

"Thanks, Momma, I'll keep that in mind."

"And Edward," she called to me, "when it comes to you and Bella giving me grandbabies, you just ignore what I said and do it anyway," she said with a wink causing me to chuckle.

When I got upstairs, Charlie had Renee pinned against the counter and was making out frantically with her. I cleared my throat but didn't get their attention. This really was not something I wanted to see, especially in my kitchen. "Breakfast is ready," I finally called to them, causing them to pop apart surprised. "Where's Bella?" I asked noticing the shower wasn't running anymore.

"I don't know," Renee said.

"She hasn't come out yet. Been in the bedroom a while," Charlie added.

"I'll go check on her. Go ahead and have some food," I said and hurried out of the kitchen, hoping that the promise of food would save my kitchen counter from their morning romp.

Bella was curled up on the bed with her head under my pillow. "Bella," I called to her before I touched her so she wouldn't startle. She squirmed closer to me as I climbed on our bed. I peeked under the pillow smirking. "What are you doing under here?" I asked.

"My parents."

"What about them?"

"They were being…noisy…again."

"Were they fighting?" I asked worried. I didn't want them upsetting her.

"No, they're doing God knows what…and liking it," she said disgusted.

I started laughing.

"Chuckle it up, funny boy, and I'll start talking about Esme and Carlisle," she threatened.

I shut my mouth. I'd rather not hear another word about my mother and Carlisle, and now I fully understood why she wasn't thrilled with listening in on her parent's escapades.

The next week with Charlie and Renee was trying. If they weren't fighting, they were making out, sometimes in full sight, causing Bella and I to hide in our bedroom. Neither of us wanted to get an eye full of Charlie's full moon. The man may have only been in his early thirties, but I still didn't hold any appreciation for what his wife referred to as his firmly toned, fine tight backside. Just…no.

Jasper and Alice's wedding was only a day away and the girls, including Renee and my mother, were going to be staying at my place. Charlie would be joining me, along with the guys, at Emmett's place. I didn't know why his place was chosen but I wasn't thrilled about it. Of course, it was only a little ways down the boardwalk so if Bella needed me, I could get to her fast. I still didn't like leaving her for a night.

The night didn't get any better, as they decided to make this my bachelor's party as well. Word had gotten out that I was not really experienced with women, and since Jasper apparently was, they decided I was the one that needed the talking to. Surviving this horror would take copious amount of alcohol. Unfortunately, everyone was hammered a few short hours later, including Charlie. I was sure of this because he was regaling us with stories of him repeatedly nailing Renee during their junior year of high school in the janitor's closet, which eventually resulted in Bella. Some things a man should just never hear.

When we woke the next morning, my head felt like it would explode. I glanced over the room to see if anyone else was up and noticed Jasper was missing. I sat up too quickly looking for him and fell off my chair. I groaned in pain, or at least I thought it was me, but then I realized I'd landed on Emmett. He shoved me off of him and I knocked into the coffee table, causing several empty bottles and cans to fall to the floor.

"What's going on?" I heard from across the room and realized it was Charlie, only he was still asleep, and Emmett and I found that little tidbit hilarious in our still half drunk hung over state.

Jasper came walking out of the bedroom freshly showered and dressed, looking at us as if we were nuts. "What are you laughing at?" he asked.

We pointed and chuckled at the chief, who I now realized was wearing a newspaper Native American headdress.

"You just head on home now," the Chief mumbled causing Emmett and I to bust into another fit of giggles.

I looked over at Emmett and realized he was wearing some sort of newspaper hat as well but I couldn't tell what it was. I patted my own head and found I was wearing a sailor newspaper hat made from the entertainment section. I smiled and threw it on the table.

"Come on, guys, I'm getting married in two hours, you have to start getting ready! If we're late, Alice will kill me."

"So will my mom," Emmett added.

Come to think of it, all our asses would be toast if we didn't get it together and get out of here soon. When it came to weddings, normal women could become scary creatures, and Alice was downright terrifying. Jasper was going to have his hands full with her!

We all scrambled to get ready and headed out the door. The wedding would be taking place at our restaurant where Alice and Jasper met and, well, where Jasper sent her several fancy plates of food in an attempt to flirt with her. It was a special place for them and very fitting for them to wed there.

I guess it was the same for Bella and I on the ship. That was where we met and got to know each other. We didn't get married for the same reasons as Alice and Jasper but now that I think back on it, I didn't regret getting married on that day for anything. I loved my wife more than I could express. I just wished I could tell her without making her nervous.

A/N okay I know this chapter was a bit blah but you got an update! Sorry it was taking me so long. Me and Dollybigmomma have been hanging out until this morning so this is just kind of thrown together. I had so much fun with her that I totally slacked on my writing. I am sorry my lovelies. I will get back to work now. I promise.


	32. Chapter 32

Sorry we are running behind but here is the chapter for today. We had a tragic death in my family. Our hamster Chubby (Chubs for short) past away today. She was a sweetheart and will definitely end up in heaven because she wasn't a biter. Rest in peace girl, you will be missed.

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, and I just write it.

Chapter 32 A Certain Ring to It

I straightened my tie for the fifth time and glanced at the clock. It was only an hour before the wedding and if I was going to do this, I would have to get my butt to my apartment and do it now. I looked over at my brother and Chief Swan. I hadn't let on what I wanted to do. I think Jasper had a hint maybe because of Alice, but he never said a word.

I had talked to Alice four days ago about doing this but said I wasn't sure. She, being sweet little Alice, was thrilled at the idea and asked me what made me think of it. My answer was her sister.

Angela was Alice's sister and she came in a week early for the wedding. She was in the restaurant helping decide how to set the place up when she saw me. She was on me like white on rice. Alice had to help me peel her off of me. I insisted I was married, but she thought I was just making it up because I didn't have a ring. When she was informed Bella was my wife, she promptly found her and rolled her eyes again. "No ring there, either. What's the problem, honey, don't you like me?"

Alice, bless her soul, saved me from her sister and diverted her attention to one of the servers we had named Ben. He was now the man who would stand opposite of Angela, and I was thankful for that. They really hit it off.

Angela did get me thinking, though. Bella and I really should have rings. I went out and bought a set the next day but I wasn't sure if or how I could give them to her. I wanted it to be special. Alice found me deep in thought after another dress fitting in our apartment. "How you holding up?" she said looking around my apartment. It had been overrun by wedding stuff since it was so close to where the wedding itself would happen. I didn't mind, though. Well, that was not true. All this wedding talk seemed to be getting to Charlie and Renee and there was more fighting and making up than I wanted to hear.

She plopped on the couch next to me as Esme made alterations to Bella's gown in our room. She shoved over the stack of wedding crap since it practically fell on her, and in her struggle to not die by wedding paraphernalia she bumped my leg.

Now, this wouldn't be a big deal except I had the rings in my pocket. She looked down at the odd lump and insisted I pull whatever it was out before she accused me of something ungentlemanly. I pulled out the ring box. It was a little larger than the traditional box because it held my ring in it as well as both of Bella's.

Alice gasped. "They're beautiful, Edward! When are you going to give them to her?"

I shrugged. "I feel it should be special. We didn't really get to have a wedding but I want her to wear my rings. I don't like people not knowing she's mine and I'm hers."

"Aw, Edward, that's so sweet," she said hugging me like a sumo wrestler. How could someone so small be so strong? "Oh, Edward, I just got the best idea!" she squealed.

I looked at her worried.

"Since the place is going to be decorated already, you should have a ring ceremony after my wedding. I mean, her parents are here already. I think it would be perfect."

"I don't know, Alice; what if she doesn't want to wear my rings?" I said timidly.

She squeezed me again. "Oh, honey, you're so sweet. She loves you so much; she would never turn you down. Now, you just leave it to me. I'll take care of everything."

"Alice," I said worried, "Can we not say anything to anyone about this? I don't want anyone to know if she says no, okay. I don't want to be publicly humiliated."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Oh, silly. Fine, but that's not going to happen. I'll have everything ready and she's going to love it! I can't wait!" she squealed.

So, here it was the day of the wedding, just an hour before, and I knew if I was going to do it, I had to do it now. I tucked the little box into my tuxedo pocket and looked over at the guys relaxing and drinking beer. Jasper was smiling widely. I was pretty sure he was a little drunk. I hoped Alice didn't kill us for that.

"I'm going to run and check on the girls real quick," I said and slipped out the door before they could protest. I was breathing hard and freaking out a little. God, please let her say yes I prayed lightly.

I started up the stairs and saw Alice looking out my front window. Her tight glare turned to a smile. She flung the door open, "Took you long enough! For a minute there I thought you might have changed your mind."

I shook my head no.

"Good, she's the last be made up. She's just in her robe. I wouldn't let her put her dress on yet."

I looked at her confused.

"Oh, you'll see why when it's time," she giggled.

Rose, Angela, and Esme were in the room all dressed and were touching up their hair and makeup. They had somehow squeezed a dresser and vanity that matched our bed set in here last night. They should have called us; we would have moved it for them I thought pouting.

"Everyone out, except for Bella," Alice ordered.

I looked at Alice and then Bella nervously.

Bella looked worried and stood up coming to me. "Is everything alright?" she asked softly.

I forced a smile. "Yeah," I cleared my throat. "I'm just a little nervous."

"Why would you be nervous?"

I looked down at the floor and squeezed the box in my pocket. I cleared my throat again. "Because there's this woman I've fallen in love with and I want her to marry me, and I want to give her these rings but I'm scared that she won't want me."

Bella looked shocked, crushed and upset. It dawned on me that she didn't know I was talking about her. She stepped back shaking and I quickly grabbed her in my arms, holding her against me tightly. "It's you," I whispered. "How could you even think otherwise?" I choked up a little. "Bella, it's you." She let out a relieved sob and I sat on the bed, holding her tightly to me. I pulled the little box out of my pocket and slipped out the engagement ring. "I think it's time we had some rings showing the world we belong to each other, if that's alright with you?" I asked softly and slipped the ring on her finger.

She grabbed my face, kissing me deeply while pushing me back on the bed. We had kissed before, but there was so much more to this one. When we broke apart to breathe, I gasped out, "I love you."

She smiled so widely my heart nearly exploded. "I love you, too, so much," she said in return and kissed me again.

There was a loud banging on the door and then Alice appeared. "Oh, good, you still have your clothes on. I was getting worried," she said giving me a teasing look. We both blushed and Bella just burst out laughing. "Oh, my god, you two are so cute," Alice said.

The other women came running in to see us tangled on the bed. "Ladies, we have some work to do," Alice announced. "Edward, get out of here, and go tell Charlie that he'll be needed," she said and winked at me.

I smiled and snapped the ring box up.

"Wait!" Alice called, "We need yours!"

"Right, right," I said opening it and handing my ring to Alice. Bella looked at us both confused. I leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I love you," I whispered in her ear. I loved that I could finally say it to her. She smiled at me as I slipped out the door.

When I got back to Emmett's where the guys were all hanging out, Emmett commented on my smile. "Dude, you're giving me the creeps, man. Why are you smiling so big? I know Alice didn't let you have a quickie. Besides, that's no way to lose your virginity," he said.

I punched his shoulder and threw what I knew now was his jester newspaper hat at him. He set it down next to Jasper's chef hat reverently. "Chill, man, I want to keep my hat," he complained.

I looked over at Charlie who was downing a couple of pills, most likely for his headache. There was a knock on the door, and I was surprised to find Esme there smiling widely with a garment bag. "Alice wanted me to bring this over for Charlie."

Charlie perked up when he heard his name and walked over. "What is this?"

Esme handed it to him proudly. "This is your monkey suit to walk your daughter down the aisle in."

He looked at me confused.

"It was a surprise. I didn't know if she would say yes, but she did," I said.

Jasper came over, hearing what I said. "Let me guess, Alice?" he said with a smile.

"Yeah, she saw the rings I bought and wanted to help."

He chuckled. "That's my girl." He patted Charlie on the back. "Well, you better get dressed. We only have another twenty minutes." He turned to me. "So, how is this going to work?" he asked.

"Well, you guys will go first like planned, and then Bella and I will have a quick ring ceremony after that," I said rubbing my neck nervously and then looked over at Charlie, worried he was going to freak out and kill me. He had kept his cool for far too long.

He just smiled and shook his head. "I guess I'd better get ready," he said taking his tuxedo from Esme.

We stood at the end of the aisle waiting for the girls. Jasper and I were both bouncing nervously, and Emmett just looked distracted. The music started and a little girl Alice got from who knows where came down the aisle dropping flowers.

Next came Rose, followed by my Bella. She looked so beautiful in her blue gown. Her eyes locked with mine and we smiled so big it hurt. Angela followed after her and they all lined up across from us and it was all I could do to stay in place. I wanted to wrap my girl up in my arms.

The music changed and Alice came down the aisle with her father who had flown in from Mississippi. He gave her over to Jasper and took his place beside his wife who was all out bawling now. I looked over at Bella, smiling widely. I couldn't wait for our turn.

I must have zoned out, distracted by my Bella, because next thing I knew, the crowd was cheering as the preacher presented Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock for the very first time. I had to say, that was really cool.

Alice, of course, took control after that. "Everyone, please stay seated." She stepped forward, taking Bella and my hands. "Our dear friends who married a few months ago are going to have a ring ceremony so we can all share in their happiness," she announced and pulled Bella into a hug. "We'll be right back," she announced and then dragged the girls back down the aisle with her. Jasper grabbed my shoulders and shifted me to the appropriate place, smiling widely. "This ought to be fun," he said with a wink.

Esme came out and whispered something to the pianist and they started playing again. I realized then that Charlie was missing from the crowd. The flower girl came down the aisle again with a fresh new basket of petals, and the girls started their procession again, but this time in place of Bella was Alice, dressed in a blue bridesmaid gown. The music changed and that was when I held my breath, hoping she didn't change her mind or that Charlie didn't decide to whisk her away from me.

I let out a relieved breath when I saw them coming towards us. My face was hurting and I realized it was because I was smiling so big. Bella was dressed in a beautiful white wedding gown. Alice had really out done herself this time. Charlie shook my hand and placed Bella's little one in mine. I looked down at her face; she was smiling through happy tears. The preacher began the speech and I swear I tried to listen but the beauty of my girl was so distracting. I did say I do at the appropriate places and slipped the wedding band onto Bella's finger. I felt a sense of relief that there was finally proof that she was mine. When she put the ring on my finger, I closed my hand in a fist, not wanting that ring to ever come off. The preacher finally presented us as Mr. and Mrs. Edward McCarty. Hearing Bella's name with mine had a certain ring to it, which made both of us grin. She was mine and I was hers, and always would be for the rest of my life.

A/N Thanks for reading please review.


	33. Chapter 33

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it (even when she is high on pain killers, feel better soon lady.) I just write it.

Chapter 33 Wedded Miss

My mother slipped out after a photographer took pictures of us all. It was really great and I was looking forward to putting those up on the wall. I even overheard my mom asking for a couple of large ones for the restaurant and her home. She was definitely thrilled we'd had the ring ceremony.

I looked over at my Bella to see how she was holding up. Her eyes found mine and I could tell she was struggling being around all these people. I made my way over to her and decided it was time for us to take a break.

I pulled her into the kitchen. I knew she would feel safe there. My mother jumped when we came through the door. It was then I realized Carlisle was here with us as well. My eyes narrowed at him and I was about to say something but my mother cut me off.

"Now, Edward, settle down, he was just helping me with the cake," she said.

It was then I realized they were both holding icing bags and behind them was a three tiered rectangular cake. It was beautiful.

"Your mother wanted you both to have a cake as well and asked for my assistance since she didn't have much time," Carlisle explained.

.

Then something dawned on me. "How do you know how to ice, Carlisle?"

To my surprise, both my mother and Carlisle turned red.

"Oh my, no, you know what, I don't want to know," I said firmly. That was when I heard giggling behind me. I turned to find Bella snickering at me. "Yeah, yeah, I see how you are," I complained, teasing her a little and wrapped her in my arms. I didn't want to be around my mother and Carlisle but I knew Bella wasn't ready to go out yet. I pulled her into the pantry where she usually hid on bad days, ignoring my mother's protest and shut the door. I looked down at her smiling. "Hello, my beautiful wife. How are you doing?" I asked.

"Better," she answered snuggling into my chest. The little white flowers in her hair tickled my nose. She really was amazingly beautiful today. She was beautiful every day, but today was just yeah beyond words. I felt her lips press into my neck giving me a soft kiss and I couldn't resist pulling them up to my lips. I kissed her softly and deeply, enjoying the sweet fruity flavor of her lips. When I traced them with my tongue she opened her mouth deepening the kiss, holding me tighter to her. I moaned against her lips knowing I would have to stop. I had to get myself under control.

There was a knocking on the pantry door and I knew our time alone was up. "Are you alright?" I asked her hoping she was feeling well enough to face the crowd a little while longer.

She smiled up at me. "I'll be okay," she whispered, "Just stay by my side."

"Alright, and you squeeze my hand if we need to go, okay? I don't want you to feel like you have to stay. We can leave if it's too much," I promised.

She leaned up and kissed my cheek. "Thank you."

I smiled and shrugged. "What are husbands for?"

At that she smiled widely. I had to admit I felt a little giddy calling myself her husband and knowing I really meant it. I was really officially her husband now. Not that I wasn't before, but it was different now. I knew that she wanted me just as much as I wanted her and it wasn't just a marriage of convenience.

We made our way out of the kitchen and stood in the back of the room, watching as Alice and Jasper ran through the tradition of throwing the bouquet and garter. We had missed their first dance but that was fine.

They moved to the cakes and theirs was much different than ours but I did like our cake very much. It was beautiful and elegant. My mother had outdone herself again. She really was a miracle worker when it came to baked goods.

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Once Alice and Jasper had their piece of cake, they called us forward. They had Bella and I take slices of our own cake and Bella, the little stinker she was, would tease my mouth and then pull the piece away. I ended up effectively chasing her for a piece of cake that she ended up smashing in my face. I would have been upset but she was laughing so hard I couldn't be upset with her. She was too beautiful to anger me. I ended up laughing but quickly shut up when she started licking and kissing the cake off my face. The crowd cheered and I remembered we were not alone.

Alice shoved a little bouquet in Bella's hand. Apparently, this was her throw bouquet; the other was her keep one. Alice lined up the single girls and we all cheered when Rosalie caught it. I was then informed that there was a garter on my wife's leg that needed removing. I was sure to shoot it right at Emmett's head. I thought he would try and duck but he surprised me by jumping up and catching it in his teeth and sending an eyebrow wiggle to Rose.

We were then shoved to the center of the dance floor and we had our first dance together not only as husband and wife, but ever. I was thankful that it was slow music because I wasn't talented on the dance floor. I just prayed silently that I would not step on my wife's toes. I smiled to myself. My wife. Bella was my wife and I loved thinking it just as much as I loved saying it. I leaned down and whispered in her ear, "You're my wife."

I felt her cheeks rise in a smile.

"I love you, Bella. I have for so long," I said seriously. She had to know this wasn't a spontaneous thing but something that had been growing in me for a while.

She pulled back with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, for loving me. I've loved you for a very long time as well." I knew what she said was true by the emotion in her eyes and I wished we were alone so we could talk some more, but the song ended and Charlie came and took her from me for his turn with her.

I watched in awe as my beautiful wife moved around the floor, truly the center of attention. I felt a hand on my arm and looked down to see my mother smiling at me. "Shall we dance?" she asked and I nodded yes.

I took my mother around the dance floor as tradition called for but I was mostly looking forward to getting my girl alone. Then I remembered that Charlie and Renee were staying with us and our apartment was covered in wedding stuff last I saw. I pouted for a moment. "What's the matter, Sugar?" my mom asked.

"I wish I had her alone tonight," I confessed.

My mother's face lit up. "Well, honey, of course you're going to have her alone. Charlie and Renee rented a room at Newton's Bed and Breakfast. They offered it to Bella but she declined saying that she just wanted to be at home with you, so they'll be taking the room."

My face must have lit up like Christmas morning because my mother started laughing. "Oh, son, you be sure to take it easy on her tonight," my mom said and winked at me as she slipped out of my arms. I realized the song was over and I turned to find my Bella, my wife, as quickly as possible only to nearly bump into her and Charlie. "Easy, boy, miss your girl now do ya?" he teased and I blushed and nodded yes.

Bella pushed her way into my arms and I snuggled into her neck, breathing her in and relaxing a little. I was home when she was in my arms. It didn't matter to me where we were; as long as she was with me I would be fine.

We waved goodbye as we showered Alice and Jasper with birdseed and then we were pushed to the back door by our apartment and given the same send off. I pulled my bride up the steps to our home and carried her over the threshold. I finally had her alone and all to myself.

I kissed her deeply and then nibbled down her neck. I wanted her so badly, and I think she wanted me, too. I carried her to our bedroom, gently setting her down on my lap so she was straddling me. She kissed me back as I started to undo the zipper on her gown. I let out a moan and closed my eyes as I tried to control my breathing. I had to get a grip or I was going to lose it in my pants. She was just so beautiful and her skin so soft I couldn't get enough of her.

I found her lips again, kissing her deeply as I pulled her gown from her shoulders. I laid her back on the bed not breaking the kiss and gently caressed her soft tummy. She was perfect. I looked down at her full perky breasts that had been calling me for months and moved my hand towards them. That was when I heard it. Her sharp intake of breath. I looked up to see her watery eyes. My heart broke. She wasn't ready for me yet and I felt like such an ass for not asking before I touched her.

I pulled her dress back up in the front, covering the temptation and pulled her up into my lap, willing my erection to go away. It took a pretty big blow knowing she was not into me and so it was mostly deflated already.

"Oh, my Bella, why didn't you tell me to stop? I don't ever want to hurt you," I said kissing the top of her head and pulling her tightly into my arms.

She let out a broken sob and buried her face in my neck. "I want to," she whispered, "but I can't," she stuttered, "If I, I don't, they would, I don't, I can't…"

I held her tighter in my arms. "It's alright; you don't have to do anything. You're safe with me; you know that. I love you, honey. I really do, more than anything in the world and heaven above, I love you."

Her sad eyes looked up at me as she whimpered, "I love you, too."

I kissed her lips and pulled us up to the top of the bed, kicking off my shoes. I took off my shirt and I was glad when she looked at me and smiled instead of looking scared. I wrapped it around her and helped her pull her dress the rest of the way off. I snuggled under the covers like we did every night and pulled her back against me. "I love you," I whispered into the night but this time I wasn't afraid for it to be heard. She turned and smiled up at me, kissing my lips softly. "I love you, too."

She wasn't ready, but she was worth waiting for, that was for sure and I would wait until the end of time for her.

A/N Yes I know you all are cursing me for not letting them go any further but hey she still has issues. Don't worry she gets determined in the next chapter. (wink) Thanks for reading please review.


	34. Chapter 34

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

I know it is short but hey it is the weekend and my kids are driving me crazy!

Chapter 34 Service with a Twist

I woke the next morning with Bella lying up on my bare chest. I realized her shirt, or my shirt that she was wearing was open, so we were skin to skin and that was not something my lower body needed to think about right now. My girl was not ready, so I could wait. I would make myself wait. I had to admit that I did indulge slightly, running my hand up the back of her shirt, feeling the smooth ridges of her scars. It helped me remember that she was beautiful but still broken. We needed to wait.

The warmth of my hand caused her to stir. She shifted down straddling me, and rubbed herself against me. I grabbed her hips, stopping the movement. I was going to have a very big problem this morning. I carefully cradled her head and rolled her over onto the bed. I decided I would get up and cut some fruit to help thing settle down in my pants.

I headed to the kitchen and started the coffee maker. I decided I would bring her some breakfast in bed. I pulled out a few pieces of fruit getting ready to concentrate on sculpting them into something beautiful for my love. I didn't want her to feel bad for not being ready. I wanted her to know that I was truly okay with waiting.

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I glanced at the clock and realized it was past lunch time and decided to make her a more substantial meal. I worked on a stir fry, cutting the peppers and carrots into heart shapes so she would know I loved her. I did something silly with the fruit and carved faces into an apple and an orange. I stuck a piece of red pepper in the apple's mouth, making it look like it was sticking out its tongue and decided to give her a side of raspberries as a joke. The apple was blowing raspberries at her. I hoped it would make her smile.

I had just finished putting silly little carrot hands on the apple when there was a knock on the door. I set the food on a tray and went to answer the door. I was surprised to see Renee and Charlie standing there. Renee pushed her way in. "Oh, that smells good, do you have anymore?" she asked making her way into the kitchen.

Charlie looked a little stiffer and looked at me sternly.

"Oh, Charlie honey, look at this. Look what he made for her." She brought out the tray I just had prepared for Bella. "See, I told you he would treat her right," she said smiling at me.

Charlie didn't smile.

"Is she up yet?" she asked.

"No, she had a rough night so she's still sleeping," I said and Charlie narrowed his eyes at me. It was then it clicked in my head. I knew why he was mad at me. "She wasn't ready!" I said suddenly realizing why he was angry at me.

"What?" Renee asked.

"Look, we're okay with the way things are, she wasn't ready, and I'm fine with that."

"So, you just forced your way in, not making sure…" Charlie started at me.

I cut off Charlie's rant. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, we didn't have sex! We didn't do anything other than kiss and I held her while she cried and fell asleep. She wasn't ready and I'm not going to push her. I love her, we're waiting!" My voice cracked in my panic, and I was worried Charlie was going to snap and kill me like I had been expecting all along.

Charlie let out a relieved sigh and Renee let out a groan. "Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry. Why don't I go talk to her?" she started toward the door.

I grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Miss Renee, please don't talk to her. I don't want her feeling bad, it's not her fault she's still working through some stuff, and I'm alright with that."

"Right," Charlie chimed in. "Leave them be, Renee, the boy knows what he's doing," he said grabbing Renee. "We'll be back later for our stuff," he said and headed for the door.

"Your stuff?" I heard my wife ask from our bedroom door.

We all turned around to see her standing their wrapped in my shirt looking worried.

"Waited, huh?" Charlie complained.

"Dad, did you expect me to sleep in my dress?" Bella asked.

He just frowned.

"What we do or don't do is up to us," she said firmly as I wrapped my arm around my girl. "We've decided to wait, and when we do change our minds, it'll still be none of your business then, either."

Renee was smiling widely and I had to admit I was proud of my girl as well. I knew it was hard for her to stand up to her dad.

"That's right, baby. You tell him," Renee cheered and Charlie glared at her.

"We're flying out tonight. We're heading back to Washington. You know where to find us if you need us," Charlie said looking at me seriously. I wondered if he truly believed I didn't have my way with his daughter. I guess at this point it really didn't matter.

Once they were gone, I led Bella back to bed and brought her the tray. "I'm sorry it's a little cold now. Your parents kind of interrupted me as I was preparing it."

She leaned up and kissed my cheek. She giggled at the silly fruit. "It's perfect."

We spent the rest of the day in bed talking and feeding each other fruit. Her fingers and lips were stained red from the raspberries and she looked just delicious. I kissed her over and over, sucking and nibbling the sweet juices from her skin. She ended up pushing me back against the bed and straddling me, pressing her hips down into me in the most wonderful way. I was panting hard and realized I needed to stop if we were going to wait. I didn't want to lose it in my shorts. That was not a fun mess to clean up.

She moaned when I grabbed her hips. "Please," she begged but I wasn't sure what it was she wanted. I released her, moving my hands down her legs and she ground into me again, panting hard. "Oh, so good," she whispered.

My eyes popped open wide, my wife was getting off on me. Holy moly! I was rock hard instantly to the point of aching.

"Yes, oh, yes," she moaned against my lips, feeling the change in my body. She started kissing on my neck and nibbling my ear. Her breathing hard was going to set me off. She had mostly been rubbing on my shaft but I wasn't going to complain, it all felt good. At least that was what I thought until she reached down and grabbed the tip of me through my pants. The soft material of the dress pants left nothing to the imagination.

"Oh, ugh..." I grunted like an inexperienced idiot. I couldn't catch my breath. I was breathing hard but still trying to taste her skin. "Please, oh, I'm, ugh..." I begged not wanting to cum in my pants. Then she really surprised me, taking my hand and putting it on her breast. My body bucked up as I squeezed it softly, brushing against the peak. She moaned louder, and so I did it a few more times and then she stiffened on me. I looked at her in awe as she threw back her head and called out, "Oh, Edward!"

Her words were my undoing and I ended up cumming in my pants, but I suddenly really didn't care. We were both breathing hard as I laid her back on the bed, kissing her skin lightly. Her neck was sweet and salty with sweat and I loved the taste, lapping it up like a puppy.

She grabbed my face and kissed me softly. "Slow," she panted, "I want to move forward, but we need to take things slow. Will this be enough for you?" she asked her eyes looking worried.

"Always, just don't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable; I want to stay your safe place," I whispered, worried she had gone too far.

She smiled and shook her head no. "It was good, I liked it, and it'll still give me time to get over the fear of losing my virginity."

"I know, baby, it's okay, we'll work on it together." I kissed the top of her head softly.

"So really, that was okay?" she asked worried.

I kissed her softly. "It was amazing. Thank you for sharing that with me."

She still looked worried.

"Hey, look at me," I said pulling her face up to mine, "We're learning this stuff together, right? All of our firsts are with each other," I said kissing her softly. "You're all I'll ever want. You're always enough for me," I reassured her and I knew she always would be.

A/N See they are trying. So give me some love!


	35. Chapter 35

*******Sensitive reader warning on this chapter*****. We get some more insight on what Bella went through and it isn't pretty. I have warnings marking the start and stop of the tough stuff so you can skip it if you need to.**

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.**

**Chapter 35 – Light from a Dark Cloud**

Things with Bella were moving slowly, but I was fine with that. She had been seeing Carlisle a lot and I had to admit, it made me a little uneasy that my wife was talking to my mom's boyfriend about sex. That just sounded wrong on so many levels.

She started another notebook and I hadn't seen anything in this one yet. The fact that Carlisle looked a little weary when he left my apartment didn't make me feel any better either. I knew my girl was a virgin, but as Emmett so kindly pointed it out; there was a lot you could do and still be a virgin. He meant it to be encouraging but I twisted it around in my mind and now I was freaking out. I was terrified that someone had touched my wife when she was taken.

When she was not writing in her notebook, she was in my mom's office doing school work. I figured at this rate that she would be graduating way ahead of her class. I tried to keep myself busy and the bridge club did serve as a good distraction.

Ever since Bella pointed out Lottie's fascination with my backside, I had been tempted to see if I would get a bigger tip if I shook it a little. Turned out I did. Rosalie saw what was going on and told me to watch out or they would be coming at me with ones and tucking them into my pockets and waistband if I wasn't careful.

Truth was, we could use the money. Being a bus boy slash waiter didn't pay so well and I was nervous about leaving on another ship run. Those lasted for months. I knew Captain Towers would be coming by soon wanting me to help secure a crew for the next run. The problem was, I wasn't sure I would be on it.

I finished up my shift and took Bella home. She wasn't meeting with Dr. Cullen tonight, so we settled in for a quiet night alone. Bella surprised me by bringing out her notebook. This one was black and I had a feeling that it was fitting. She sat down next to me and looked up at me nervously.

"Do you remember Tatiana? She was the one that gave me the peanut butter."

"Yes," I answered worried.

She opened her notebook. "Remember that she was trying to keep them away from me? She really was keeping me safe," she said as she slipped the notebook into my hands.

_**SENSITIVE READERS, PLEASE SKIP THE NEXT FEW PARAGRAPHS**_

_I hadn't been there a week when Felix opened my cell. Demetri came in to give me a bath which really meant he was hosing me down. They never did give me any clothes once they stripped me. Felix had shut the door, leaving me alone with Demetri. I knew I wasn't supposed to be alone with him. I had overheard Marcus insisting that I not be left alone with anyone. My innocence was to be preserved. It was what made me so valuable. _

_I knew I was in trouble when he started aiming the hose at my private areas. He started yelling at me to touch myself but I didn't want to. He slammed me to the ground and I was terrified he was going to rape me. Suddenly, the door was flung open and I could hear Marcus yelling. Felix pulled Demetri off of me and Marcus called for Tatiana. I had some bad scrapes from the cement floor. He ordered her to put some cream on them to prevent scaring. He wanted me perfect for my sale. _

_Once she returned, things got bad. She rubbed the cream on my sores as Marcus watched. He seemed to be getting turned on and started to order Tatiana to touch me. She leaned down and whispered to me to fake like I was enjoying it. That way, things would go faster and she would do her best to help me. I was lying on my stomach, so instead of touching my breasts like she was told, she just rubbed between them and I did as she said. I felt a hand on my backside but it wasn't hers. _

"_You don't want to risk disturbing her hymen do you?" Tatiana said. _

_I heard her squeal startled, and then I felt her being positioned over me. "You will touch her while I imagine I'm plowing into her," Marcus said. _

_I didn't want to look at what Marcus was doing to her. I felt guilty for being glad it was her and not me, for being relieved when he took his hand off of me. She was told to touch me and then told to push a finger into the same place as he had one in her. I didn't know where that was but then I felt pressure between my cheeks. She hadn't entered me but I guess she made it look like she did. Suddenly, he gripped her hand and pushed it harder into me. Marcus was swearing and encouraging her to keep going. He told her to touch my chest again and she once again avoided doing it but made it look like she was. She was saving me from the hell that could have been. She was taking what she knew I couldn't. I fought the tears because I knew this wouldn't be the last time this happened to me. I silently pleaded to be saved and that if I had to stay, that Tatiana would always be there to take it for me. Unfortunately for her, she was. I still don't know where she is. I hope wherever it is, she is safe and free._

_**SENSITIVE READERS CAN START READING AGAIN.**_

I sat there stunned, trying to control my emotions. I had hoped that she had escaped unscathed, but I was starting to see that was not the case. My poor girl had been hurt so badly it just broke my heart. I pulled her up into my lap and hugged her tightly to me. I kissed her head. "I'm so sorry," I whispered to her but she didn't speak.

We sat like that for a while before it was time for bed. My girl started dozing off in my lap, so I carried her to the bedroom and set her on the bed. What she did next took me by surprise. She stood up, walked over to her dresser, and undressed in front of me. Her back was to me but still, she took off her shirt and slipped off her bra and wiggled out of her pants.

I pried my eyes off of her and went to the bookshelves for my clothes. I rested my head on them but started to undress as well. I was standing in my boxers, getting ready to put on my sleep pants when I felt her hand on me. It started on my back and moved to my chest, and then I felt her press herself against me. I was breathing hard. She had not dressed yet and I was trying to control myself. Her warm flesh was pressed against my back as she rested her head on me.

"Thank you," she whispered.

I swallowed hard. "For what, honey?" I asked.

"For being okay with it."

Now she had confused me. I turned around and looked down at her, doing my best to focus solely on her face. "Okay with what, baby?" I asked.

She blushed. "That they…" She closed her eyes.

I pulled her into a hug, "Hey, baby," I wrapped her in my arms tighter, "Please, honey, don't be upset. It wasn't your fault you were taken and hurt." I wiped her tears from her cheek and kissed it. "Hey, I love you and nothing will change that."

She smiled at me and then I saw her eyes shift down to my lips. I leaned in slowly but unsure. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable and decided to let her close the distance and she did.

The kiss started out slow and sweet. Her hands tangled up in my hair and I groaned as she tugged on it and tickled my neck. I pulled her tightly against me but knew I had to stop before things got out of control. I stepped back breathing hard and closed my eyes as I rested my forehead against hers.

Of course, she wasn't helping matters. I felt her hands run down my bare chest to the edge of my boxers. I was sure she could see me straining against the fabric. I needed to take a cold shower, or chop fruit or something.

"Edward," she said my name softly. I gulped and looked into her eyes, pleading for her to understand that I needed to pull away but not because I didn't want her.

Then I felt her hand. She gripped me through my shorts and I groaned as my knees buckled. My head fell to her shoulder. "You don't have to…" I panted, "I can…"

She lifted my chin and caught my lips with hers. I felt her pulling on me, directing me toward the bed. I didn't know what she had in mind but I was worried that it would be too much for her. "Come on," she coaxed me up on the bed.

"Honey, we don't…" She squeezed me firmly, cutting me off.

"I want to," she said kissing my neck. "As long as I'm in control, I should be fine."

I looked up at her worried. "Are you sure?"

She smiled, sliding down my body. "Yes."

She touched me through my boxers as she sat perched on my legs. Her pert breasts bounced as her arm moved against me. It didn't take long. In fact, it was so fast it was shameful. I was grunting and bucking up into her hand and then froze as I made a mess in my shorts.

When I looked up at her face, she looked so proud of herself. "I did it."

I panted out and smiled, "Yes, you did." I let out a chuckle, "Is there anything else you wanted to try?"

She shook her head no. "Not tonight. I just wanted to see if I could be naked with you and touch you."

I smiled at her, sitting up and kissing her lightly on her lips. "You did great, honey. Thank you for trying."

She wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek as I did my best to ignore her naked breasts against me. "Thank you for being patient with me."

"Always, I love you," I said with sincerity. "Of course, as much as I love you, I do need to go clean this up," I said pointing to my shorts.

She let out a laugh and bounced over on the bed happily. I climbed off the bed and leaned over and kissed her again softly. "You're so beautiful when you smile. I'm glad I could make you happy."

When I pulled back, she came with me a little and ended up lying across the bed. She kicked her feet up in the air and rested her head on her hands. "So, are you okay with sleeping like this?" she asked.

"Naked?" I asked shocked.

She nodded yes.

"But your..." I pointed at her chest. I couldn't say it, but if her breasts were naked, I was sure I would grope them in my sleep. "What if I touch them in my sleep?" I asked worried. "I don't want to scare you, baby."

"You're my husband; you should be able to touch me."

My face was pained. "Please, baby, I don't want to set you back. Why don't you at least put a shirt on or something?"

She pouted. I couldn't believe I was fighting with my wife to put clothes on. Shouldn't I be ripping them off?

"How about a night bra?"

I looked at her confused.

She laughed. "It's a soft bra I can sleep in but it'll still leave my back and stomach exposed so I can get used to feeling your skin against mine."

I swallowed hard and nodded okay. I walked over to my shelf and grabbed a towel. I looked at my sleep pants again. "So, did you want me to only wear boxers?"

She nodded yes. I let out a long, deep breath. This was going to be a long night.

**A/N: Thanks for reading and please review! Also, check out my new mini story that I wrote over the past two days. It was the reason I didn't post. Dang thing was in my head and I had to get it out before it exploded! It is called 'What you don't know.' I will be posting it now. Thanks!**


	36. Chapter 36

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.**

**Chapter 36 Best Way to Shrink Swelling**

I woke up to my hand on Bella's breast and me pressing myself into her back. I knew sleeping in minimal clothing was a bad idea. I heard her moan like she was going to wake up and I sprang across the bed so she wouldn't know I was touching her like that. Of course, my sudden movement woke her up even more and she rolled onto her tummy and looked at me confused.

"Edward, what are you doing all the way over there?" she asked.

"Nothing," was my ingenious response. Yup, totally innocent over here. I wasn't just groping her. I was so going to hell…

The fact that she crawled over to me on her hands and knees didn't help the situation in my shorts. She snuggled back down into my side with a little whiny grunting noise. "This bed is too big if you can move that far away."

I was thinking that the bed was not big enough. Maybe I should move into the guest room. Yeah, that would be good, the guest room, with two doors, a wall, and my blankets separating my lower half from hers. I needed to settle down. I didn't know what had gotten into me this morning but I was feeling extra, extra, extra…what, I didn't know, but I knew I really wanted my wife.

I cleared my throat, "Honey?"

"Hmm?" she hummed snuggling into my side more. Her hand brushed across my nipple and my eyes widened when I felt a little jolt of pleasure. That was completely unexpected.

I hadn't realized I forgot to speak. Honestly, I forgot what the heck I was saying when she touched me.

"Edward?" she asked wondering what I wanted.

I choked as I answered. "Huh?" I tried to discreetly move my lower half away from her but she wasn't having it. Next thing I knew, she had thrown her leg over me and brushed right up against my morning woody. I closed my eyes, afraid of the panic that might unfold.

What happened next was totally unexpected. She moved over me, straddling my hips, and my eyes popped open when she pressed down against me. She was smiling at me as she began to move. I couldn't help the grunts and groans of pleasure that left my mouth. This was not how I expected her to react but I was definitely thankful for it.

This was so much more intimate than the first time. The only barrier between us was her thin cotton panties and my light cotton boxers. The friction was amazing but I quickly began to notice a problem. It was starting to feel really good and then I felt cool air on my tip. CRAP! My cock had slipped through the fly on my boxers. I didn't want to scare her with that thing!

I grabbed her hips, slowing her movement and I cringed silently, willing myself to have the strength to do this. "Bella," I gasped, but I didn't have to say another word.

She looked down and made a little squeaking noise. "You're oozing, Edward! Oh, my god, am I hurting you?"

What?

I looked down, and sure enough I was dripping, but it really didn't hurt. It was too late, though. She had jumped off of me and ran out of the room. I covered my face with the pillow, completely embarrassed. I heard her come back in but I left the pillow in place so I couldn't face her. Bad move.

Suddenly, I was screaming in pain. I didn't know what she had done, but my balls ran a freaking retreat faster than the British had during the revolution. I sat up wide eyed and looked down at myself. She had gotten me an ice pack.

Thankfully, she had moved it when I screamed. Unfortunately, she was sitting on the edge of the bed whimpering. Oh, my poor girl. I was sure I had scared her half to death with my screaming.

She finally burst into tears. "I'm so sorry, Edward, I didn't mean to break you!" she sobbed and I did my best not to laugh. This was just a horribly mixed up innocent girl. I pulled her over to me after I covered myself with the blanket. I wanted to keep myself safe for the moment. She was still holding the ice pack after all.

She was sobbing so hard I couldn't help but feel bad when I finally burst out laughing. She looked up at me confused. "You didn't hurt me, honey. Well, not until you put the ice pack on me. I guess I won't be needing that cold shower now."

She looked down at our laps. She was sitting on top of me. "It's okay? I didn't squish it?"

I chuckled and shook my head no. "I stopped you because I was slipping out of my shorts and I didn't want to scare you when you saw it."

"It doesn't scare me," she said.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

She blushed lightly. "I know it's safe and it won't come and get me or anything," she muttered, twisting her fingers nervously.

"No, it'll never come get you, I can promise you that, but feel free to come and get it. Okay?" I said and kissed her forehead.

"Even after what I did this morning?"

"Yes, just please, no ice packs, or anything cold for that matter," I begged. A warm, moist compress in the form of her body surrounding me would feel pretty awesome, though. Yeah, I was so going to hell.

She nodded solemnly, oblivious to my perverted thoughts.

"Bella, can I ask you something?" I asked and she nodded yes. "What made you get the ice pack?"

She shrugged. "When you smash a finger or a toe, you put ice on it to shrink the swelling. I just figured…"

I laughed and kissed her softly. "You are too sweet, my beautiful girl."

"Edward," she said sadly.

"Yes?" I asked worried.

"I'm really sorry I messed up this morning."

"Hey, we're learning together. I'm sure when you're ready for me to start touching you I'll mess up, too. Just don't worry about it. We're figuring this out together," I said kissing her softly. I still loved that I could do that.

She smiled against my lips and I knew she would be okay.

When we made it down to the restaurant, my mother was looking at us a little worried. I knew that Dr. Cullen didn't talk to her about our sessions, but I also knew he told her to take it easy on us because Bella was working through something difficult.

Bella made her way to the office and got to work. She seemed to be flying through her classes. At least that was what I imagined, because she worked nonstop in there nearly twelve hours a day, six days a week. I felt bad when I realized that she wouldn't even have a graduation ceremony or a cap and gown like a normal high school graduate to celebrate when she was done with all her hard work.

"Why the sad face, sugar?" my mother asked.

"Bella isn't going to be able to walk the stage when she graduates. She'll just get a piece of paper in the mail," I said with a pout.

"Oh, honey, don't you worry about that," she said with a wink. "I already have something planned to celebrate her graduation. I'm just waiting for the day for her to say that she's done."

I hugged my mom. She had a way of making everything better and knowing just what was needed. Our happy hug was interrupted by a skanky voice reminiscent of nails on a chalkboard. "Oh, Edward, aren't you just the sweetest Momma's boy. I don't know how your little wife can stand it," Tanya spoke giving me a back handed compliment.

"Luckily for me, Bella is just as much of a Momma's girl when it comes to Esme."

"I can see that, she's just a baby, Edward. What were you thinking when you married her?" she asked and my mother stepped in before I could do something other than act like a gentleman. In other words, my momma knew I wanted to hit that girl.

"Bella is a sweet, innocent angel and she's blessed our lives. Edward was thinking he was a lucky man when he married her," she said a little too sweetly then turned to me. "Edward, why don't you go get Emmett to help with the dairy shipment and then you can to take a break with your wife for a while."

I leaned over kissing my mom's cheek. "Thanks, Momma," I said letting her know I really appreciated not having to stay in Tanya's presence.

I quickly retrieved Emmett like requested and smiled when Rose glared at Tanya. "That one is mine," she growled making Emmett grin like a Cheshire cat. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, ignoring the scowl she was giving Tanya.

"That's right, baby, only yours," he said roughly and grabbed her backside.

Tanya rolled her eyes in a huff and stomped out to the truck. I noticed they had a new driver and I waved despite the eerie vibe I got off him. He just glared at me and then I watched as he eyed Tanya like a piece of meat. I guess he was jealous. I wanted to tell him he had nothing to be jealous about but decided I really didn't want to talk him. He seriously gave me the creeps.

I carried a crate in but then snuck off to the office, letting Emmett finish the unloading. I found Bella sitting quietly, looking out the window. "Bella, honey, are you alright?" I asked.

She gave me a sad smile. "Edward, I don't know my address."

"What?" I asked and picked up a business card. "This is your address, but you put a 'B' next to it so they know to look upstairs."

She gave me a soft smile and nodded okay and then started typing.

"So, um, what did you need it for?" I asked.

She blushed and then started to fidget. I moved over so I could see the screen. It was a request for a grant for college.

"You're applying for a grant?"

She nodded yes.

"That's great, honey, I know you wanted to go to college. You'll probably need some of my information since I'm your husband and the bread winner," I said with a cheesy pose and a little flex of my arm.

She giggled and that was just what I wanted. I didn't want her to think that I wouldn't completely support her in whatever she wanted to do. I leaned in and kissed her forehead. "You let me know if you need anything, alright, honey."

She smiled and nodded yes.

"So, when do you think you'll finish up your school work and get your diploma?" I asked.

She blushed a little. "I, um, already did."

"What?" I asked shock. "Really? And you didn't tell me?"

She looked a little worried.

"Don't be scared. I'm not upset. I'm just surprised and excited I guess. When did you finish it?"

"Yesterday actually. I've been trying to find a school to get my degree in accounting and find the money for it. It's all so expensive, especially since I want to stay here," she said timidly.

"Hey, we'll figure it out. You and me, babe. I'll make sure you get through school, Bella."

"Edward, I realized when I started filling out the forms, there was so much I didn't know about you. I mean, we've been married for months and I don't know your income or your birthday, or how long you've been at your job or exactly what the heck your job is," she said a little frustrated. I guess they asked a lot of questions on those forms.

I pulled her up out of the seat and pulled her into my lap. "I'm a first officer shipman on a textile ship and have been for the past three years. I make about fifty thousand dollars a year and work for six months of the year. I have the other six off because the weather on our shipping route is less than friendly otherwise."

"The storm that came up?"

"Yes, that was an early storm; we do our best to miss those. So yes, that was why we were on our last run for the season. You were lucky to catch us when you did," I said kissing her head lightly. I just held her tightly for a moment. I didn't want to think about what would have happened if she had missed my ship.

"Your birthday?" she asked.

"June 20th. I usually celebrate earlier with my family because shipping season starts in April so I'm usually gone."

I felt her stiffen in my arms. "You're leaving?" she whimpered.

"No, I don't think so. I know you need me here. I was thinking I would take a season off. I just need to talk to Captain Towers about it so he can pick a new first officer."

She looked at me sadly. "He's not going to be happy with us."

"Oh, Bella, I'll talk to him. I'm sure he'll understand. He knows I love you. I'm sure once I explain everything he'll be fine with it."

"Could I come with you?" she asked innocently. If she only knew what slime balls men could be when isolated on a ship and deprived of women for a few weeks, she wouldn't ask. No, there was no way she could go; it wouldn't be safe for her.

"No, baby, it's alright. I'll just sit out a couple of years and maybe when you're doing better, I'll make a few runs. I think I have enough in savings to hold us over for a while if we live conservatively. Besides, there's always Lottie."

She looked at me confused.

"I find a little tush shaking ups my tip considerably," I teased getting her to laugh. That was just what I was going for. I didn't want her to worry about the money. I would find it somehow, somewhere. I would take care of my wife.

She was now my top priority above all else.

A/N Thanks for reading please review and

go vote for The Phantom's Scars at the Lemonade stand.

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	37. Chapter 37

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it!

Chapter 37 Delivering the Goods

Bella was pried out of the office by my mother once I let the news out that she was done with her high school courses. My mom also let us know that we were not to plan anything this weekend because she had something planned for us. I was excited, but I knew Bella was nervous. She hadn't really expanded her safe zone past our home and the restaurant. I hoped that my mom kept that in mind.

I looked at her search on the computer for financial and thought I had better get to work looking for money for my girl. I wouldn't let money stand in her way of reaching her dreams. I pulled up a site to apply for a government subsidized student loan and started filling out the forms. After it was all filled out, it asked for a copy of my last tax statement and then said I needed to print out the forms and mail it all in. I dug out my tax stuff and made copies, and then printed the forms I had filled out. I tucked it all into an envelope, but I couldn't find any stamps.

The mail man had already come by today so I was going to have to wait until tomorrow. I folded the envelope up and put it in my pocket and headed out to the kitchen. I found my mother and Bella leaning over a saucepan. My mother had been passing all of her recipes on to Bella. I just stood back and watched the smiling women for a moment.

"Oh, Edward, come smell this. Your wife had the best idea and I'm in complete agreement."

"Smell? Am I not allowed to taste?" I asked with a fake pout.

"Dinner will be served in a few minutes and then you can taste it," Bella said with a smile.

She turned to go set the little table in the back of the kitchen.

"You're out of stamps, Mom," I said.

"Oh, yes, I forgot. Merle was out the last two times I caught him," she shook her head. "I think he's specifically trying to sneak around town not selling them so he doesn't have as much mail to deliver. It would be just like him," she complained and I had to laugh and agree.

She checked the clock. "It's only four o'clock, Edward. Your dinner won't be ready for another twenty minutes or so. Could you be a dear and go grab some stamps at the post office?"

"Fine," I conceded. This way I could send off the loan application as well. I walked over to my wife, wrapping her in my arms and kissing her neck. I loved that I could do this to her. She leaned back into me and smiled up at me. I leaned down and kissed her lips. "Mom needs me to run a quick errand. Will you be alright for a few minutes? I'll be back in time for dinner."

"That's fine. Where are you going?" she asked sweetly.

"To the post office; she's out of stamps and she's sure the postman is hiding from her so she can't buy them off of him."

She let out a giggle. "Okay, go get some and get some for me, too. I'm sure I'll need some for a few of the grant applications and the school ones as well."

"Alright, baby," I said leaning down and stealing another kiss.

My mother whacked me with a dish towel. "Move it! At this pace, I'll have a grandbaby before you have dinner."

My girl blushed and I chuckled, shaking my head. "I'm going, Mom."

The post office was just two buildings down and across the street. I ran up to the door and opened it, looking for Jessup. He was the postal worker that manned the office, and he was probably the one they defined the mental term 'postal' around.

The bell chimed letting him know I had come in, but he didn't move. There was no one else here which was not uncommon. Our little town was not a bustling metropolis and most postal transactions were handled by Merle, the just as crazy postal carrier.

I walked up to the counter and waited for Jessup to acknowledge my presence, but he continued to stare at the back wall. I knocked on the counter, but he just shifted in his chair. I looked at the wanted posters that were hanging up next to where I was standing. It wasn't all that uncommon to see them up but thought I would take a look at the newest ones while Jessup's brain caught up with him. One of the guys looked particularly evil, and I wondered if this guy had anything to do with the people that took my girl. He seemed to look familiar but I couldn't place him.

"Gotcha!" Jessup yelled at me. "You thought you could sneak up on me but I'm sharp as a tack!" he said actually picking up a tack and poking it in my direction.

I took a step back and put my hands up, "You got me, Jessup. You're a sharp one," I said nodding to his tack. I found it best to just go along with crazy people.

"Well, you can't have my tack if that's what you want. It's mine!" he shouted.

I stepped back further, "No, never. I was actually looking for stamps."

"Stamps? Why do you want stamps?"

Yes, Jessup was as sharp as that tack in his hand and shared the same IQ. "I have a letter to mail," I said pulling out my envelope.

"Oh, well, you don't need stamps then," he leaned over motioning me to get closer. "They have tracking devices in them you know."

"Oh, I didn't know that." I was pretty sure they didn't and I really didn't care if they did.

"Yeah yeah, it's a good thing you came in to mail the letter. I told Merle about the stamps and I think he got rid of them. You aren't the first to come in for some. I'll take care of that letter for you, though."

I nervously handed him the letter, hoping he wouldn't destroy it. If I was going to stay home with Bella, we were really going to need that student loan. To my relief, he weighed it and printed out a sticker stamp for it.

"So, that doesn't have a tracking device?" I asked.

"No, I bought these labels at Staples; they're safe. I can't be using any supplies the government sends us." He was leaning over the counter when he said it and then looked around to see if anyone else had heard what he'd said. When his eyes landed on the picture of the wanted man I'd been looking at, he practically jumped out of his skin. "Who are you!" he yelled at it.

"Let me get him out of here for you," I said and grabbed the picture before he went off on another tangent. You didn't ever want to upset crazy people. I would have to tell my mother that Jessup and Merle were no longer selling stamps. Maybe she could order them through the mail on line. Then again, I didn't know if they would deliver or accept mail with the normal stamps on it. Oh heavens, why must I live in a town with crazy people?

I found my mom the kitchen with Bella. She was getting the plates for an order and lit up when she saw me. "So, did you get the stamps?" my mom asked.

"No, apparently they have tracking devices in them so Merle and Jessup aren't handling government issued stamps anymore."

"Well, that explains why he keeps avoiding me."

"Yes, well, I can take any mail in you need sent off tomorrow. Jessup is okay with printing out the postage using the labels he bought from Staples. Apparently, they're 'safe.' Is there anything urgent you needed mailed off?" I asked.

"No, tomorrow is fine. Go have dinner with your wife. I think we have a new special," my mother said excitedly as she passed the plates that she had filled out to Rosalie.

I helped Bella fill our plates and sat down with her. "This smells really good."

"You're not the only one that can cook," my wife said with a smile.

I had no idea what she had stuffed into the ravioli she had made, but it was incredibly good and the sauce was amazing. My eyes actually rolled back in my head as I moaned.

"Oh, it's the food. I thought Edward was finally getting lucky," Emmett teased.

"I am lucky. I have Bella and she can cook," I said shoving a bite in his mouth.

"Damn, girl, that is amazing," he said trying to steal my plate but I was able to hold him off long enough for my mother to intervene.

"Emmett, come get your own plate and leave Edward and Bella alone. How am I supposed to get grandbabies if you keep interrupting them?"

"Mom, please, can we not discuss this ever?" I asked.

I looked back over at Bella and saw she was pouting. "Sorry, honey, I wish I could get my family to shut up about sex already. I don't want you feeling pressured by anyone."

She gave me a weak smile and continued to eat. I would have to talk to her about this later tonight.

After dinner, I walked her upstairs and waited for Dr. Cullen to arrive for her session. I kissed her goodbye and went back down to the restaurant. I knew he would walk my girl down to me when he was done.

"Edward, oh good, it seems we're short a crate of whipping cream and I don't think we're going to be able to wait for the delivery tomorrow. Would you be a dear and go to the dairy to fetch it?"

"Mom," I whined.

"Dear, at least you have a wedding ring to hold her off. She would outright attack Emmett and you know it."

She had a point, dang it!

I made my way to the dairy and pulled up next to the delivery truck. The creepy guy was sitting there looking over his orders. His head was shaved and so was the rest of his facial hair. He'd even shaved off his eyebrows and that just looked freaking bizarre. I figured that was why he gave me the creeps. He should have some body hair somewhere. I stifled a snicker at the thought of him having body lice, thus the bad shave job.

"Edward, Baby, what brings you out to the dairy?" Tanya said squishing her boobs forward.

"We're short a case of whipping cream."

"Really? That can't be right," she said walking out to the truck. She climbed into the back looking around. "Are you sure you didn't misplace it?"

"Yes, I'm sure. That's why I'm here."

"That's odd; I double checked your order before we loaded the truck." She walked around the back to the loading dock. It was empty.

"Well, either way, we still need the case of whipping cream."

"That's so weird," she said and walked me back to the cooler. "Here you go. Let me know if you find the other one. I'd really like to know what happened to it."

"Sure, Ms. Tanya. Thanks," I said motioning to the case.

When I got back, I looked around our cooler a little, wondering if we did just misplace it. The dairy had never messed up our order before. It had been the same for as long as I could remember, only changing if something major was added to the menu but I didn't remember that happening for a while now.

Dr. Cullen was just coming out of my apartment when I looked up to see my girl fidgeting in the doorway. I hurried up to her side, kissing her head. "Tough session?" I asked.

She shrugged and we went inside.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked.

She bit her lip.

"Does Dr. Cullen think we should talk about it?" I asked.

She nodded yes.

"Okay. How about we get ready for bed and we can talk while I hold you. Will that help?"

She nodded yes and I took her hand and led her to the bedroom. Our bed was still in disarray and my sleep pants were hanging off my shelf unfolded. My mind flashed to my girl's hands on me and I quickly thought about chopping carrots and slicing bananas. I heard the bedding being ruffled and knew she was waiting. I changed quickly and climbed up next to her, pulling her against me.

She let out a sigh and looked up at me worried.

"What is it, baby? You know you can tell me anything."

She was quiet for a moment but she looked like she was trying to work up the courage to speak. "Do you want kids?" she finally blurted out.

I looked at her shocked as my mind processed the question. Sure, I wanted kids but I was not sure when that would happen for us. I mean, Bella was still really young.

"Um, sure, someday, when you're ready."

She let out a breath and nodded her head okay.

"Why? Do you want kids?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Maybe, someday. I'm just finishing school and I…"

"Hey, I get it. I didn't think you were ready for them yet either," I said kissing her forehead. "I figured, you know, you could work from home if you wanted and I'll be home half the year so we could spend plenty of time with our little ones."

"Little ones? How many do you want?" she asked nervously.

I shrugged. "I don't know. My mom had two; that worked for her. Why? How many do you want?"

"Um, I guess two is okay."

"Okay, then it's decided, two," I said with an eyebrow wiggle. "You just let me know when you're ready and then we'll work on moving forward so we can make them."

She blushed. "Edward?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Could we have sex before then? I mean, it would take more than once to get pregnant, wouldn't it?"

I mentally slapped my balls so I wouldn't pitch a tent under our blanket. He was all for making babies right now and I knew my girl wasn't ready for that yet. "I suppose, I don't really know a lot about getting pregnant. I've never done it before," I said clearing my throat. "But we'll figure it out when it's time."

She pouted. "So, you don't want to have sex with me otherwise?"

DOWN, BOY! We didn't need a tent big enough for the circus but that was what I was looking to pitch if she kept talking like that. "I, ah, sure, yeah. Can we not talk about this?" I asked.

She suddenly looked really upset. Her eyes started to water.

"Bella, honey, what's wrong?" I begged.

"You don't want me!" she wailed at me.

"Oh, honey, I do. I want you so bad but talking just makes things..." How did I put this? "Hard."

She jumped into my lap, landing right on my problem, sobbing into my shoulder. "Really?"

I bucked up against her a little and her eyes popped open. "Oh."

I smiled tightly at her. "Yeah, so I should probably go take a cold shower."

"I thought you weren't supposed to put cold stuff on it? I thought it hurt."

I laughed a little. "Yeah, it does, but I don't think I can think this one down."

"Think it down?"

"Yeah, picture things that would make it retreat."

"Oh, do you ever think of me to make it retreat?" she asked.

I laughed. "No, silly girl. You would definitely have the opposite effect on it. No, I do my best to keep you out of my mind when I'm trying to get rid of…you know…"

"Can I?"

"Can you what?"

"Get rid of it for you?"

My eyes widened and I was pretty sure she felt me throb against her. I cleared my throat, trying to gain some sanity. I didn't want her to feel obligated. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"But I do, so can I?"

I let out a groan and bucked up against her. This woman was going to be the death of me, or my cock. I wasn't sure which but definitely one of us. I nodded okay because I was beyond words. She started rubbing against me and she let out a little moan which just seemed to egg me on more. At least this time I was safely tucked inside my sleep pants. I gripped her sides, holding her steady, wishing I could touch her more but I didn't want to spook her. I didn't want to do anything that would make her stop doing what she was doing right now.

She threw her head back and called out my name as she stiffened in my arms. I kissed her neck softly, telling her she was beautiful and that I loved her. When she came down from her high, she noticed I was still hard. "You didn't..." she said timidly.

"Yeah, I think he's protesting a little since he got iced this morning."

She blushed and it made me smile.

"Don't worry, honey. I'll just hit the shower."

"No, no, I can do it, just let me…"

"Hey, honey, it's alright. I don't want you pushing yourself and ending up being set back."

"No, I can do it just, just lay back and close your eyes."

"Okay, are you sure?"

"Yeah, oh, and take off your pants."

I took off my pants and then she motioned for my boxers as well. I watched her carefully as I pulled them down. My cock was pointing right at her like a divining rod. She looked at it nervously.

"Look, honey, I'm fine. It isn't the first and it won't be the last," I tried to comfort her but she suddenly reached out and grabbed it. Her grip was tight but in a painfully good way. I was breathing hard as she pulled me to the bed by my cock.

"Lay down," she ordered.

I did what she said because I would have been an idiot not to listen. Once I was situated on the bed, her grip loosened. She started running her fingers up and down it like she was examining it and I did my best not to buck at her touch.

She touched the tip and rubbed the leaking juices around it. "So, it is supposed to leak?" she asked.

"I guess. I've never really asked about it," I said not really wanting to discuss my leaking. Was I supposed to leak? Should I ask a doctor about it? Maybe I could look it up tomorrow.

"What if it's puss from an infection?"

"Ew, that's nasty," I said. My cock eased up a little. This was not a getting me off topic.

She shrugged and grabbed a damp rag that was left over from this morning's ice pack debacle. She wiped me off and then started rubbing me up and down with her hands. Now I was wondering if I was going to leak more, and whether it was supposed to do that or not. I closed my eyes trying to put that out of my head, when I felt something warm on my skin. My eyes popped open and I shot off at the sight before me. Bella had touched me with her tongue. HOLY COW!

She jumped back a little as I covered my stomach in cum. "Sorry," I grunted but she just smiled.

She leaned over and looked at the mess I'd made. "I think that's the same stuff. Do you only leak when you're hard?"

I groaned a little but nodded yes.

"Well, that must be it then." She grabbed the washcloth and wiped me up and then snuggled down in bed as if nothing had happened.

I looked at Bella, who was curled in a ball with her back to me. I reached over and pulled her against me, kissing her head. "Thank you. Are you okay?"

She looked up at me and I could see she wasn't. "It kind of startled me."

I let out a chuckle. "You and me both. You should give a guy some warning if you're going to put your mouth anywhere near…things."

She smiled at me. "So, it was okay, though?"

I kissed her lips softly. "It was perfect. Thank you, baby. I'm sorry I startled you."

She smiled as if she was proud of herself, and really, she should be. She had come a long way from the scared little girl in my quarters. My girl was growing up.

A/N thanks for reading please review and vote for phantom Scars at the lemonade stand! Thanks!

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	38. Chapter 38

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 38 Questions Popping Up

After Bella's questions about my leaking, I decided to get some answers. I was happy to find that my leaking was completely normal. I mean, who would I discuss this with anyway? I never worried about this before, and what do you say? 'Hey, bro, my dick leaks when it's hard, does yours?' Definitely not something I wanted to discuss, ever, and I really never considered it a problem until Bella brought it up and had me all kinds of worried that I wasn't supposed to leak. It wasn't as if I was some kind of medical student or something and an expert on anatomy. Leakage was never even an issue until I was around Bella!

Fortunately, the internet was very helpful with that. Unfortunately, the pop up ads that came up while searching this topic were a little more than scary! Apparently, dick leakage was somehow related to gay porn. I just hoped that I cleaned it all off the computer; otherwise my mother was going to get an eye full when she signed in to do the books. That was something I didn't want to have to explain in this lifetime!

I made my way out to the kitchen and got to work until my mother sent me off to the post office with a hand full of letters to mail. Jessup was looking around nervously when I walked in.

"Hey, Jessup. I came to mail my letters like you said I should," I said holding them up. I didn't want to set off the crazy guy.

"Edward! Did you see him?" he asked excitedly.

"Who?" I wasn't sure if I was looking for a real or imaginary person at this point.

"The guy that you got rid of yesterday! He was here and all mad! He wanted stamps but I told him no! WE DON'T HAVE STAMPS!" he yelled at me. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I just played along.

"I know, I know, Jessup, tracking devices. That's why I came to you." I tried to get him to see I was on his side.

He looked at my letters in my hand. "Right, right," he said a little lost and took my letters. He started weighing them and putting the postage on them but looked up startled when he saw one that was paying our dairy bill. "What is this?" he screeched at me.

I looked down at it. "It's the bill for the dairy farm. We buy milk and stuff for the restaurant," I explained wondering what his issue was.

He looked around. "Is that how you know him? Is he a friend or foe, Edward? You need to tell me now," he said sternly. I had no idea who or what he was talking about.

"Heck, Jessup, I don't even know. I deal with Tanya at the Dairy."

His face lit up in a cheeky grin. "You like Ms. Tanya?" he asked with an eye wiggle. "She sure is pretty. Hey, you think she would go on a date with me?" he asked excitedly.

"You know, Jessup, it would never hurt to ask, right? I think she would really miss out if she turned down a guy like you," I said with a smile.

"Ya think?" he asked and I couldn't help but hope Tanya would run out of stamps soon.

"I really do," I encouraged and quickly left before he could get suspicious.

When I came back, I noticed Bella wasn't in the kitchen. Mom said she went to look at some grants on line in the office and I decided to pop in and let her know that I was back.

She had just wiggled the mouse so the screen would come to life and I freaked at what I saw. "CRAP!" I screamed charging at her. I scared her, though, so she jumped from the chair still holding the mouse in her hand and hit me over the head with it.

My mother came running in to see what was going on and stopped in her tracks. She was followed quickly by Carlisle and Emmett.

"Really, Eddie, you're into _that_ stuff?" Emmett said incredulously.

Bella was looking at all of us still shocked but once she settled down, she looked at the screen and suddenly started laughing. It was an animated cartoon of a man giving another man a blow job and his cheeks would pop out like a squirrel at the end of it. I had turned the speakers down when the first pop up ad had come up, so thankfully they were still down so we didn't get the full effect.

My mother was looking around for the mouse, not realizing Bella still had it in her hand clasped to her chest as she bent over in laughter. I was completely lost when it came to my wife right now. She thought this was funny.

Emmett just looked uncomfortable. It was no surprise he was a homophobe, but to see it was funny. He kept trying to look everywhere but the screen, as if seeing it would turn him gay.

"Dude, man, turn it off already!"

Carlisle stepped forward and hit the power button on the machine and then looked to me and Bella curiously. Then he looked at Bella and said, "I told you to experiment but I'm not sure this qualifies."

Her laughing stopped and I looked at him worried, and then he burst out laughing. "Come on, Esme. Let's leave them to talk," he said and winked at Bella, letting her know he was just kidding.

Once they cleared out and the door shut, we both started talking at the same time.

"It's not what you think," I said as she said, "I didn't pull that up."

"I know; it came up when I was looking up the leaking thing," I said nervously. "I thought I got all those pop-ups closed but I guess another one snuck in."

"They do that. So, is it alright?" she asked pointing to my pants.

"Yeah, yeah, perfectly normal, it even has a name and everything."

"Yeah? What do they call it?"

"Um," I shifted nervously. I should be able to say this out loud, right? "Pre-cum," I whispered.

"Pre, like before?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess it's the start or whatever. Can we not discuss this here? My mom is just in the other room and she thinks I look at gay porn now."

Bella started giggling again.

"What's so funny?" I asked smiling. It was hard not to smile when I saw her giggle.

She just shook her head. "I thought they would think I was looking at it and then they couldn't get it off. I mean really, what would I get from looking at that? I'm not a guy."

"Right, um, well, I don't get anything from it, either, so mind if we drop it before my brother comes in here and disinfects everything so he doesn't catch gay cooties?"

"I know, what was with Emmett? Mister macho was freaking out. I would have thought he was well versed with porn."

"Uh, no, we're not. My momma and daddy raised us to believe that was bad to look at, that it would destroy any chance of us having good relationships." I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "Not like we ever had time, and well, Emmett only moved out from Momma's house two years ago. She still pops in at his place."

"So that's why the magazine was at your place?"

My eyes widened in realization. Emmett had stashed his magazine at my place. "Holy smokes! That jerk would have gotten me whipped if Momma had found that! Oh, that boy is going down!" I said storming for the door.

She grabbed my arm, but I continued my rant. "I swear, since the day he was born, he's been getting me in trouble! That little creep is always playing Momma's little angel that can do no wrong…"

"Edward…"

"Well, I've had it!"

"Edward!" she snapped at me. I looked down at my beautiful wife and saw the look of concern on her face. "Baby, listen to me. You need to let it go. You didn't get in trouble; your mom didn't find it."

"No, but you did and that's just as bad if not worse, honey," I complained. I really wanted to get my brother back.

She let out a sigh. "Listen to me; you need to let it go. We have more important things to worry about right now."

"We do?" I asked confused.

"Yes, like how am I going to handle you going to work in a few months?"

"I already told you, honey. I'm fine with staying home."

"I know, but I'm not okay with you staying home. Edward, this is your job, I looked it up. First officer is not an easy position to get, you need to keep it."

She was right, but I didn't care if I lost my title and was knocked down a few pay grades as a ship hand if she was happy.

"Hey, just don't worry about it. I got this money thing figured out," I said hoping I truly did. We were really going to need that student loan.

She let out a sigh and sat back in her chair. "Fine. If you don't talk to me about it then I'm going to have to do something about it myself."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Edward, we need to be open. We're struggling as it is."

"We're struggling?" I asked panicked. Did I mess up?

"I'm a wreck, Edward, that can't be denied. I have to know I can trust you. You need to tell me your plan so I can feel comfortable. If you do, then I'll help you get even with Emmett."

I raised an eyebrow at her in interest. "Really?"

"Yes, so what's the plan?"

"I was just going to get a student loan. We won't have to pay it while you're in school and then hopefully you'll be doing better in a few years and I can take on a few ship runs and pay it off. I think that if we live tight, we can live off of our savings and restaurant pay. Not to mention we don't know yet if you'll qualify for some grants as well. I'm not worried about the money, honey, so you shouldn't be, either," I said pulling her into my arms. I kissed her head and she let out a sigh.

"Okay, that's all I wanted to know. I feel a lot better about it now. Thank you for talking to me," she said smiling at me. "Now, let's get even with Emmett."

A/N He he he, I love mischievous Edward and Bella. Thanks for reading please review.

Don't forget to vote for Phantom Scars at

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	39. Chapter 39

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 39 – Getting Creamed

My Bella was not as timid as I thought she would be. Turned out her plan for revenge on Emmett involved copious amounts of porn. She herself didn't want to buy it or see it but sent me to get it. I was given orders to buy the scariest porn possible, preferably including some gay porn, since he had such a strong aversion to it. I was also to buy blow up dolls. I wasn't sure what she had planned but I was to get a guy and a girl one, along with something she said was a dick pump. I think I saw an ad for one of those online but I honestly didn't stop to look.

We only had one dirty store in our area so I took my lunch break and made sure no one saw me go in. I was borrowing my mom's car and the last thing I needed for her to find out was that someone saw her car parked at this store.

I walked in looking at the floor and a man all dressed in pink leather came up and tapped me on the shoulder. He smiled at me and reached out his hand to shake. "Hi, honey, I'm Tyler, and you look like this is your first time in a store like this," he said pointing to his name tag.

"Uh, yeah, okay," I said shaking his hand. To my surprise, he tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow.

"So, sweetie, what are you looking for today? Something for your boyfriend?" he asked as if he was fishing for information on me.

"Um, actually, my wife and I are going to play a trick on my brother. I kind of need some scary porn. The stuff that would make my mom's eyes fall out when she finds it in his room and on his coffee table. My wife also asked for boy and girl blow up dolls. Do they even make boy ones?" I asked curiously and looked at Tyler.

That was a mistake. That boy lit up, smiling widely and looking at me adoringly. "Oh, why yes we do. Why don't we get you a shopping cart so you can get this stuff for your brother?" he said with a wink.

Oh, this couldn't be good.

Tyler took me to the aisle with the blow up dolls and he actually pouted when I picked out two blondes. He was dark skinned and dark haired. I was trying to get the point across that he really wasn't my type at all!

I asked him about the dick pumps, not sure what the hell they were, and he giggled like a school girl and skipped to the next aisle. He brought back four boxes. Sadly, I didn't really want to leave the blow up doll aisle, as it seemed the safest in the whole store. I picked out the cheapest, even though Tyler insisted that one wasn't as good in quality as the Blow PRO. No one was going to be using it and this prank was getting expensive.

I finally asked him if he would mind scoping out the porn aisle for me and pick out six magazines with a good mixture of everything. He patted my butt and winked at me. "You got it, baby. I'll meet you at the register."

He came bouncing back to the register and quickly checked me out. I asked for paper bags, as they were not see-through. Heaven forbid anyone should see me carrying this stuff.

"I'm going to put my business card in here with my private phone number on it just in case you need any help figuring out how to use this stuff, alright, honey?" Tyler said in a scary sweet voice.

I just nodded. "Thanks."

I wasn't a homophobe, but I just didn't swing that way. I hoped he didn't get his feelings hurt when I didn't call. I only bought two bags full of stuff so I could easily take it all to Emmett's in one sneaky trip.

When I got back to the restaurant, Bella was talking with Rose and Emmett about having a family dinner. Apparently, Emmett had a larger kitchen and dining area than us and it was closest to the restaurant so we could easily bring a few things from here for dinner. Emmett didn't want to, but Rose pushed him into it. Bella invited Dr. Cullen as well since he was my mother's boyfriend. I couldn't even think that without sneering!

The girls went on making plans for the meal this Wednesday. Fridays were always busy at the restaurant requiring all hands on deck, so we chose Wednesday as our family night.

It was Wednesday afternoon when Bella promised Emmett she would go clean his apartment. I had swore up and down that she worked fast and was wonderful and he would most likely be able to find things he had forgotten he had by the time she was done with the place. He thought that was a great idea and so I took my Bella and the two brown paper bags to Emmett's place.

Bella, as always, worked fast and efficiently. She had the place sparkling in no time. As she was cleaning, I got to work blowing up the dolls. I was kind of bummed and confused; the dick pump didn't blow but actually sucked, so it was no help at all with the dang dolls. I was curious as to why my wife brought a chef's hat and apron, as well as a waitress outfit from the restaurant.

"I'm so glad you got two blondes so they look like Jasper and Rosalie," she said as she dressed them.

"What? That's just so wrong on so many levels," I complained but laughed at the same time. I mixed a couple of the porn magazines in with his regular car magazines on the coffee table, and then crammed both the blow up dolls in the coat closet. It was chilly, so someone would likely have a coat on that needed hanging, which would cause the dolls to pop out when they opened the door to hang them up.

I then took the last porn magazines, saving two of the gay ones for his bedroom and putting the 'group' magazine on the towel rack by the toilet. If anyone used the bathroom, they would not miss it. This evening should prove to be very enlightening for my mother.

That evening just before we all were going to head over, there was a knock on the employee door of the restaurant. I opened it with Emmett behind me, blocking the view of the kitchen. We didn't know who it was but they weren't getting in to our women.

I was stunned when I saw it was agent Black. "Hey, Mr. McCarty, I came by to see if I could visit with you about a few things."

"Edward, Emmett, who is it?" my mother asked.

"It's agent Black, Mom," I answered.

"Well, for heaven's sake, don't just stand there, let the man in," my mother said pulling Emmett and me out of the way. "I'm sorry; my sons were raised to be more hospitable," she glared at us. Just one more reason to make me not like agent Black.

I missed what he said about why he was here, but my mother was quickly inviting him to join us all for dinner at Emmett's. She called for us all in to come and carry things down the walk to Emmett's place. It wasn't far but it wasn't close, either. We all had our hands full, even agent Black, as we made our way down the boardwalk. My momma believed in feeding people until they were full and then sending some home with them to be sure they didn't get hungry anytime soon. Yes, she definitely was in the right business.

Rose was already there setting the table and Bella went to help her. Agent Black, or Jake as we were told to call him, along with Emmett, my mother, and I all sat down in the living room.

"We'll talk after dinner; we don't want to stress and lose our appetites before hand, now do we? So why don't you just sit back and relax a little?" my mother said.

Bella had just walked in with drinks, passing them all out to everyone. I was so proud that she didn't shake as she served Jake. That was just amazing progress for her. I asked him about the nice car he had pulled up in, starting a conversation about looking to buy a car eventually. Emmett suggested I check out the ratings in his latest issue of Car and Driver, which just happened to be the top magazine on the stack on his coffee table. Hook, line, and sinker!

"Mom, can you pass me that car magazine on the table there," I asked innocently while Bella was still in the room. Of course, just under that car magazine was a very graphic porn magazine with an even more graphic cover. Once my mother lifted the car magazine up, her eyes went wide and then she turned to Emmett, rolling it up in her hand and started beating him with it.

"What…Ma! What the heck?" he shouted.

Mom's scolding was interrupted by the door. Carlisle was a little late but happy to arrive. I grimaced as I opened the door but smiled when he asked if there was somewhere he could hang his coat. I smiled as I pointed him to the coat closet.

Emmett was in the middle of swearing that the porn magazine wasn't his and she should know that he wasn't into that stuff when the blow up dolls popped out of the closet. I laughed as they both fell down but one bounced off the other, and now the Rosalie doll was leaning up on the coffee table in front of my mother on its knees, red rimmed open love mouth pointed right at her.

"These would fit better in here if they were deflated," Dr. Cullen said without missing a beat, as if he had just watched some basketball's bounce out of the closet. What the heck, man? Was he some kind of freak?

Jake was finding this all very amusing. Rose came in with a tray of hors d'œuvres to find her lookalike kneeling on the coffee table. No one got to try them because Rose smashed the tray over Emmett's head. Bella gasped in shock and had a worried look on her face. Jake was laughing so hard he actually spit some of his drink on himself and asked to clean up in the bathroom. I wondered if he would say anything about the magazine I'd put in there or not.

When he came out, he joined us all at the table and ate silently. I saw Jake lean in to Emmett and was pleased I was sitting so close to him now so that I heard what he said. If I'd sat across from him next to my wife like I wanted, I would have missed it.

"You know, Emmett, if you like the group stuff, give me a call. I swing both ways," Jake said with a wink.

Emmett looked at him confused as my mother excused herself to use the bathroom.

"OH MY HEAVENS!" echoed off the bathroom walls. Carlisle and Emmett went running to her, worried she may have slipped but the sound of thwacking reverberated as Emmett came running back into the front room with my mother hot on his heels. She handed Carlisle the four magazines she had come across and undressed the dolls and gave them to him to take to the dumpsters. She wanted them out now!

"So, who is this guy?" Carlisle asked. "That's obviously Rose," he said pointing to the girl as he deflated the boy.

"They're not mine! They're not anyone! That isn't Rosie! I wouldn't do that to her!" Emmett cried.

Bella tipped her head to the side. "It looks a little like Jasper" She looked back at Emmett, "Is that who that's supposed to be?" she asked all innocent. My girl was a genius.

"Oh, my heavens, Emmett, you're coming to church with me. I don't care if you are a grown boy, you obviously need it. You must have missed something growing up because this is not what a good boy keeps in his home," my mother said with conviction.

He was beyond fighting my mom. She had the look of fire in her eyes and you didn't cross her if she glared like that unless you had a death wish.

"Yes, Momma," he mumbled.

"Good boy, now finish your dinner," she said calmly. "You know, Edward, you and Bella should join us. The Lord would love to see you more than on Christmas and Easter," she said.

"Wait, what?" This was not part of the plan. "I don't have the porn problem, Mom! And Bella…I mean, that's a lot of people in a new place. I don't think we're ready for that yet," I said quickly.

My mother let out a sigh. "I suppose you're right. Maybe when she's better you boys can join me again," she said reaching out and squeezing my hand.

"Sure, Mama, maybe once Bella gets to feeling better," I said playing the good son, hoping she would forget all about it. I really hoped she did. I did my time in the church. Once we hit eighteen, we were free to choose and we chose to sleep in much to my mother's dismay, but she said she wouldn't push us, that we would find God on our own terms. I guess she was just going to make sure Emmett was looking for him at her church.

After dinner, we all settled back in the porn free living room for dessert and coffee.

"Now, Jacob dear, why don't you tell us what brought you back to our neck of the woods?" my mother asked pleasantly, as if she hadn't just been beating Emmett with a magazine for half the evening.

"Well, we're actually tracking a serial killer. You ladies need to be careful. Always stay in a group and don't go out after dark."

"Oh, heavens! What makes you think he's here?" my mom asked.

"Well, his last kill was only a state away and he only ever kills one person in each state. It took us a while to catch on that it was a serial killer because local cops would see it as a single homicide. It was actually a cop who was on leave and driving cross country to his parent's home that put it together. He came across three missing women's cases in the local newscasts where he'd stopped in those states. He thought it was odd. You see, it isn't as often that adult women are reported missing. Children and teenagers usually make up most of the missing persons cases, along with some confused seniors, so it's always questionable when a twenty-something woman suddenly goes missing. He called it in and it was looked into. The last three kills, they were able to get some DNA, and we found an old photo of him. The dude is weird and a bit of a freak. He had been arrested before for shoplifting and get this. He always stole a crap load of dairy products. I don't even want to know what the hell he was stealing it for."

I instantly remembered the case of whipping cream that was missing from our order. My mother must have, too, because her eyes widened and she looked right at me.

"Agent Black, a case of whipping cream was unaccounted for in our last dairy delivery. Whether it was taken from the dairy or from the restaurant, I don't know," I said pulling my wife closer to me.

He immediately pulled out his phone and started making calls. He asked for the name of the dairy and quickly had men go search it and the restaurant for clues. My girl started to shake in my arms and Dr. Cullen, the ever prepared physician, pulled out a bottle and offered her a pill. She took it quickly and buried her face in my shirt.

"I'm sorry you only came to visit under such sad circumstances," my mother said.

Agent Black clapped his hands. "Actually, I almost forgot. Marcus is dead. He was shanked in prison. I thought you might like a bit of good news," he said cheerfully.

We all looked at him stunned. Dr. Cullen stepped up and shook his hand. "That's unfortunate on some level, but good to know. Thank you very much, agent Black."

"Sure, no problem. Is there anything else I could help you all with?" he asked.

I was surprised when Bella pulled away from me long enough to address him. "Actually, I was wondering if you could help me find my friend, Tatiana. She was taken by Marcus as well. I don't know what happened to the girls after the explosion but I would like to see if I could find her and make sure she's okay."

"Oh, well, sure. Yeah, I guess, just give me any information you have and I'll see if I can find anything out on her," he said.

They spoke for a moment and Jacob took notes, writing down every detail he could get from my girl. Finally, when she could not think of any more clues as to where Tatiana might be, Bella sat back and yawned.

"I need to get my girl to bed." I offered my hand to Jake and he shook it. "Thank you for the help, the news, and the warning. We'll keep an eye on our girls."

"No doubt, you all take care now," he said and made his way out the door.

Emmett actually went home with Rose that night. He didn't want to leave her alone. I was nervous about Esme being alone but saw Carlisle talking softly to her. "You going to keep my mom safe?" I asked him.

"Yes, I would never let any harm come to her. Even if it meant sleeping on a lumpy couch and getting a crick in my neck," he said kissing her forehead. I let out a relieved sigh; maybe they weren't involved like that. I was glad she had Carlisle now.

I pulled my girl close and we quickly made our way home. She locked the doors and doubled checked them three times before she asked me to lock all the windows. The windows were locked but I went through the motions of going to each window as she watched and made sure they were locked, touching each one. She was finally satisfied and took her medicine and curled up tightly into my side. I hoped the pills helped tonight and I hoped everyone was safe. It may have been a coincidence that there was missing whipping cream but it sure didn't feel like it. I hoped they caught him fast.

**A/N: I know I didn't update for two days, I'm so sorry. My family has been sick and I felt like crap. Please forgive me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading and please review.**


	40. Chapter 40

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 40 In plain sight

I woke up to Bella curled in between my legs like she used to do when she would hide in my sleeping bag. The stress from the threat of having a serial killer loose in town kept my body preoccupied, and her chin safe from my woody, but I still worried that she'd had a set back if she was hiding down there again.

I reached down, carefully running my fingers through her hair. On my third pass, she looked up at me and smiled. "Hi," she said a little sheepishly.

I reached down and pulled her up so I could hug her. "Rough night?" I asked.

She nodded and tears filled her eyes.

"Hey, honey, it's understandable. I think we all had a rough night. It's okay to be a little freaked out."

She cried softly on me for a moment and then I asked if she wanted an extra pill to help her settle down but she said no. We went into the kitchen where she busied herself with breakfast.

"Will you be alright if I go take a shower?" I asked before leaving her sight.

Her eyes popped wide, letting me know I needed to stay. She didn't answer so I just walked over, kissed her head, and sat at the table. She relaxed visibly and after a few minutes, she brought over a couple of plates of food. I knew today would be a close day, meaning she was going to stay close to me all the time and I would need to bring her pills just in case she was startled or upset by something. I just hoped they found this guy fast. I didn't like that he was in my neighborhood.

I skipped the morning shower just washing my face, and headed down to the kitchen to see what momma wanted me to do today. She looked worried so I asked her what was wrong.

"I can't get a hold of Tanya," she complained. "I called the dairy and no one there is answering so I called her home and still no answer. Edward, I'm getting worried. Maybe we should call agent Black and have him check in on her."

"Why don't you call her dad first to see if she's even working today? She may be on vacation or something. She may even be out with that new guy making deliveries," I offered.

My mother let out a breath. "Okay, you're right, I'm overreacting. Could you maybe take the mail over to Jessup for me? I'm not in the mood to deal with his crazy nonsense." 

I looked over at Bella but she nodded okay. I was pretty sure she would be okay with my mom for the few minutes I would be across the street. I grabbed the envelopes and headed over, and I smiled when I decided to ask Jessup if he'd had a chance to ask Tanya out. That should be fun.

I walked in and Jessup was poised in a karate move holding two thumb tacks. He glared at me and I held up my letters showing that I came in peace. "Whoa there, Jessup, I just wanted to mail these."

He relaxed but looked around like his imaginary foe would jump out any moment. He leaned over the counter, "Something big is going down, Edward; I can feel it in my bones! My knee has been acting up all day!"

"Really?" I looked left and right and leaned in. "What do you think it is? I need to be on the lookout. I don't want anything to happen to my family." I knew I shouldn't encourage him but I needed to have a good rapport with him since they stopped selling stamps.

"There have been big black government cars driving all around town. They're looking for someone. Someone must have used a stamp," he said with a worried head shake.

"Poor soul should have listened to you," I said dropping my head in grief.

He reached over and took the letters. "You're a good kid, Edward. The way you look out for your family. Your momma did a good job with you."

He went to stamping the letters and since we were off the heavy topic, I thought I would ask about Tanya. "So, Jessup, has Tanya been in?" I asked with an eyebrow wiggle.

He chuckled. "I wish! I only ever get that fool you threw out the other day. He just looks plain creepy since he shaved his body. What kind a man would do such a thing? I mean, I know the benefits of not leaving any traces of yourself for them government types to be tracking you by your DNA, but that's just nuts."

I laughed for a minute because Jessup calling anyone nuts was well, nuts. But as I waved goodbye and headed out, I got to thinking. The only guy I 'threw out' was the wanted poster. If that was the killer and the killer was the driver with no hair…My eyes popped wide and I ran up to dig in the laundry basket, looking for the pants I wore that day. It turned out that Bella had washed them, so I ran to the little tray she set everything in that she found in my pockets.

The paper was folded up right on top and I wondered if she had looked at it. I quickly called the toll free hotline and told them what I thought and asked if I should be calling agent Black. They seemed surprised that I was already informed of his presence in town and told me to give him a call.

I pulled out the card I had tucked away in my wallet months ago it seemed and called him up.

"Black here," he answered roughly.

"It's Edward; I think I know who your guy is. It is the dairy driver. I found the wanted poster with him but he doesn't have hair, which is why no one recognized him. He shaved everything off, even his eyebrows."

"This is not good. We'll head over to the dairy now and check the records. Hopefully we can catch him before he takes a girl. Once he does, there' nothing we can do. He goes underground and we don't find him until he pops up in the next state again."

"Jake," I said suddenly worried. I remembered how he looked at Tanya and how my mother couldn't reach her. "He was checking out Tanya and seemed to get pissed when she talked to me and my brother. My mom couldn't get a hold of her. Could you maybe look into it? Make sure she's not the target?" I asked.

"I'm on it now. Thanks for the lead," he said and hung up.

I sat down, taking a deep breath. I knew I had to calm myself before I went back to my girl. I didn't want to freak her out. I needed to be strong for her, but twice now I had been in the presence of a serial killer and I didn't know it until now. He was so close to my wife! I was so relieved that she stayed inside that day and he never saw her. She didn't exist in his book so she wasn't a target.

I tried to pull myself together, convincing myself that Bella was safe and never in danger. But by the end of the rant, I really just wanted to hold her in my arms. I hurried downstairs and into the office where I knew she would be and pulled her out of the seat and into my lap. She sighed in relief, snuggling closer to me so I didn't feel so bad for needing to hold her. I held her tightly and she seemed to squeeze me back just as hard. We couldn't seem to get close enough to each other. I didn't know how long we were sitting there but my mother knocked on the door interrupting us.

"Edward, agent Black is here to speak with you," she said with worry filled eyes.

I smiled and nodded. "Can you stay with Bella?" I asked. I didn't want Bella to hear what we were going to discuss.

"Of course." My mother walked in and immediately hugged Bella, kissing her head like she would her own daughter.

I took him to my apartment, not wanting anyone to overhear what we were going to discuss. Once inside, I sat down and offered him a drink but he shook his head no and let out a deep breath. I realized then he looked so much older than usual.

"You were right. We found the files listing his residences. His name is James Harmon this time. We checked out his apartment but it's too late. He's gone."

"What do you mean gone?" I asked worried.

"You were right. He hit his target after we went asking about the whipping cream. He knew we were coming for him and he's gone underground with the girl."

"Girl? Who was it? Who did he take?" I asked panicked.

"You were right; it was Tanya Denali, the dairy owner's daughter."

I fell back in my chair and then tipped my head down trying to catch my breath. So close, he was so close and he took someone close to us. He was right there. I knew something was off; I should have seen it then.

I didn't realize I had been speaking out loud until Jake interrupted me. "He's been doing this for years, Edward. He plays off people's ignorance. What are the chances of a serial killer coming into your place? They're basically zilch but it happened. You just need to get over it. You can't change the past."

I nodded okay. "So, how are we going to find Tanya? What is the plan?"

He shook his head. "That's the thing. This guy is slick. We won't find him."

"What do you mean?"

"Edward, he had his place set up before he even surfaced. He only comes out to look for a mark. He keeps everything he needs underground."

"Underground?" I asked confused, was he part of a black market or something?

"Literally underground. He digs himself a bunker outside of town and sets it up camouflaged from the air. Hell, we walked right past the first one we ever found. It had rained pretty hard and one of the other searchers came jogging up behind us and fell right into it. The place had been flooded with rain water. If it wasn't for the rain we would have never found her body. We would have never been able to put a face with him. Thankfully for us, the girl fought. Victoria gave us her best clue. The DNA from the flesh stuck in her teeth. That sick fuck has a nasty bite mark somewhere on his body. If we can get him, we can match the DNA and the teeth marks to him and he'll go down with the death penalty. The dumb fuck should have known better than to get sloppy in Texas. They're only pro life when it comes to babies."

"So, we just have to find him," I said getting up. We had to look.

"Edward, you're not getting me. He isn't going to be above ground where we can see him. He's good as gone."

"NO, he is not! We will not give up on Tanya. It could have just as easily been my Bella; you will not just walk away."

"Our best bet is to get ready to strike when he pops up again. The fact that we know he has no hair now is what we needed to know. Hopefully, we'll get him next time," he said getting up.

"Hell no, you're getting him this time! I will not stand for this to go down in my home town, and I know that everyone will agree with me."

"Look, Edward, it's just not time and cost effective."

I cut him off. "Well, it is life effective. I'm organizing a search party and we're taking that psycho down whether you like it or not. It stops here," I said storming out of my apartment and ran straight to the post office. I knew if anyone knew about underground bunkers it would be Jessup. I hoped to God that he would help me and sent up a silent prayer for Tanya. I never liked her, but she never deserved this.

A/N Thanks for reading please review.


	41. Chapter 41

SM owns it, dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 41 The Search is on

I burst through the post office doors and Jessup hopped the counter when I came in. "You were right! That was the FBI, Ms. Tanya is missing, Jessup. They say some crazy has her in a bunker somewhere. In fact, it's the same bald crazy I threw out of here. They say he's hiding her underground! How are we going to find her?"

Jessup ran to the front window and looked out at the black SUV that was parked across the way and quickly closed the blinds. He looked around and clapped his hands.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Listening for an echo or feedback, don't want them yanks listening in," he said and then waved me over. "So, underground bunker you say?" I nodded yes. "That feller took Ms Tanya?"

"Yes, they said they don't even plan on looking for her!" I nearly shouted.

"They must have found out I liked her! They're always going for the ones we love. Damn soft spot," he said rubbing his chest over his heart.

"We have to get a search party together, but how are we going to search so much land underground! How are we going to find her?"

He smiled. "Oh, that's easy." I looked at him confused waiting. He rolled his eyes. "Metal detectors, silly. I'll call the club and we'll get us a group out. We can do poll sticks like they do fer avalanches."

"Genius! I knew I could count on you. I'll go round up a posse. We're going to need some help; we'll have a detector, a pole poker, a shovel man, and a guy with a gun on each team, that bastard will not get out alive."

"Yee haw! Let's fry us a hog!" he shouted and hopped over the counter, getting on the phone.

"Meet us at the restaurant. I'll get some maps of the area so we can spread out and search, and if someone finds something they can call back into Ma," I said.

He smiled and nodded as I took off across the street. It was time to call on the townsfolk and I hoped they all tolerated Tanya enough to look for her because I didn't care who she was, she was someone's girl and she needed to be found.

When Jake realized I wasn't kidding about finding Tanya, he decided to join the search party, along with a few of his buddies. Jessup wasn't too thrilled about it and apparently set them all up on the same team with the metal detector guy that was a possum licker. Jessup's words, not mine. I think that meant he wasn't anti government or something. I decided not to ask about it.

I decided to be on Jessup and Merle's team. Actually, I didn't think anyone else would volunteer to work with them but since Jessup was really the life saver on finding a way to look for Tanya, I decided to play it off as I was fighting to be on his team. Jasper joined us as well. Emmett and Carlisle were chosen to stay behind with the girls and my mom at the command center. They were joined with a few other women, and to be on the safe side, he and my mother were armed. The women were all assigned teams to stay in contact with and mark their movement on the map to be sure they didn't waste time covering a spot that was already searched.

I think Jake was a little surprised how the whole town just shut down and came to the rescue of Ms. Tanya. We had twenty teams in all and most of the wives and daughters were left in the safety of the restaurant unless they were known to handle a gun well. What could I say, us southern gentlemen didn't think our women should be toting shovels or digging, and it took some real muscle power to shove the pole into the ground. We weren't being sexist!

In true Jessup and Merle fashion, we took the parcel next to the FBI team to 'keep an eye on them.' I carried a phone and a GPS as well. I didn't tell them that was what it was, though. I didn't want them to freak out that we were being 'tracked'.

Jasper carried a gun and I carried a shovel, Merle had the pole. Apparently, all his years of delivering mail gave him quite a bit of upper body strength. Jessup was running the metal detector and any time we hit something, Merle would shove the pole down. If it gave easy part way through, I would dig. So far, we had dug out a couple of ground hogs and a rabbit. Of course, Jessup didn't waste any time; while I was digging, he would go on searching the rest of the area. By the end of the night, we'd covered one square mile.

Toward the end of the evening, there were calls going out to the teams suggesting we break out into even smaller teams so we could cover more ground. My mother said she and the Denali Dairy would foot the bill to cover the extra metal detectors. Mr. Denali was already headed to the closest outdoor store to get them. He had called ahead and told them what was going on. They promised to hold the doors for him and give him a generous discount.

It was time to turn back when Jessup surprised me. He cut across our line onto the FBI section and started going over it. "I don't trust them. I don't think they're really looking. I don't want to miss her, Edward. We can't miss her."

Jasper wanted to get back to his new wife so he passed me the gun because let's face it, Jessup and Merle should not be armed.

We had a good method by then and so we were covering the land fast. We had turned back at night fall to get home but we didn't show up until after eleven o'clock that night. It put Jessup's mind at ease, though, and he insisted that he wanted me on his team because Merle needed to keep an eye on those other possum lickers.

That night when I got home, I was exhausted. I took a hot shower after I picked up Bella from the restaurant and saw her to bed. I collapsed on the bed and buried my face in her hair, thankful that it wasn't my girl we were looking for.

The next morning came too fast. Bella passed me an egg and bacon sandwich and took me down to the restaurant slash headquarters to pick up the GPS and gun. I would be carrying the shovel but Jessup would be using the metal detector and the pole to check if I should dig. Merle ended up on Jasper's team and they were going to shadow the other FBI team. The agents split into two groups and agent Black was now with agent Laurent. They were on the parcel next to ours.

The new teams let us move faster, only covering a half mile and heading out. About half way through our parcel, Jessup stopped me. "Boy, give me that thing you got. I know they're tracking you."

"Oh, well I didn't think you'd like it. I figured it wouldn't be as bad if I was carrying it so if something happened, you could still get away."

He smiled at me. "That's mighty kind of you. I'll be fine, just pass it here," he said.

After a few passes with it, he looked up at me upset. "Them damn yanks, they ain't doing their job right. They're leaving six foot gaps," he shook his head.

I looked over at Jacob's team; his partner was the one with the metal detector.

"We're going to have to go over their parcel," Jessup said.

I nodded okay because really, if there was any chance they had missed her, that would be horrible.

A/N thank for reading please review.


	42. Chapter 42

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 42 – Snake in the Grass

After we covered the neighboring parcel, it was late, past eleven o'clock again. I went to the restaurant to collect Bella and promised Jessup that I would talk to Jake about his partner's mess up. I hoped to get it rectified because I didn't know if I could handle another late night and early morning. I had actually gotten used to getting some real rest with Bella by my side.

I noticed as I walked her upstairs that she was shaking, and so once we were safely inside, I pulled her into my arms and had her look at me. There were tears running down her face.

"Hey, what is it?" I asked picking her up and taking her to our bedroom. I knew she felt safest in there.

She burst into sobs once I sat down with her, so I carefully removed our shoes and pulled her up to the top of the bed and snuggled her safely under the blanket. I kissed her head softly, squeezing her tight. "Hey, I'm here, you're safe," I tried to comfort her but she only sobbed harder.

"Wh-what a-a about wh-when you're not!" she stuttered through her sobbing.

"I'm always going to be here, honey," I promised.

She shook her head no. "How," she sniffled trying to get control of herself, "How am I gonna let you leave?"

"Let me leave? I'm not going anywhere. You say the word and I won't go out tomorrow. I'm sure Emmett wouldn't mind taking a turn out in the field."

She shook her head no. "How am I supposed to let you go back on the ship…" she sniffled, "if I can't even handle you being g-gone during the day?" she broke into another loud sob.

I pulled her tightly to me and passed her some tissue. "Hey, I told you, I don't have to go. Honestly, I don't want to go. You think you're the only one that struggles when we're apart? I need you, too," I said kissing her head. "I don't want to leave you."

She settled down in my arms and I kissed the last of her tears away. I was surprised when she pulled away from me and tugged on my shirt. I pulled it off, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable for asking, but I wondered where this was going. Next thing I knew, her shirt had followed and she was undoing my pants.

"I got them," I said nervously and kicked them off under the covers, still hiding myself from her. She wiggled out of hers and then snuggled her bare back into my naked chest.

"I just need to feel you next to me tonight," she mumbled.

I kissed her cheek and shoulder softly, letting her know I understood, and then pulled her tightly against me and settled down to sleep.

I was having a very vivid dream; so vivid that I was going to cum in my shorts. My eyes popped open just as I shot off and found myself on my back with my wife writhing on top of me fast asleep. My release didn't seem to stop her as she continued rubbing against me in my sensitive state. Her body stiffened, and then her eyes opened and she looked up at me sheepishly. I leaned down and kissed her lips softly. "Morning, beautiful," I said smiling, hoping she would know not to be ashamed of what she had done. I was sure this was part of her moving forward in our relationship in the bedroom.

She blushed and I pulled her into a bone crushing hug, kissing her neck and shoulder. "How are you doing this morning? Should I tell Emmett to take my place on the search?" She ducked her head in my shoulder. "Hey, honey, if you want me to stay, it's fine. I'll stay."

She let out a deep breath and then looked up at me. "You should go. I've heard a few stories about your partner. I don't think anyone else could handle the crazy postman like you do."

I let out a laugh. She was probably right. "Yes, Jessup is an animal of a different color."

"So, you're not a possum licker are you?" she asked with a smirk.

I chuckled and tickled her sides. "Possum licker! I'll show you a possum licker!" I teased as I leaned down and licked her cheek. She squealed and tried to wiggle away but I just tickled her again and attacked her neck. She squirmed and next thing I knew, my mouth was just above her nipple with my tongue pressed against her skin. I paused for a moment but decided best to just play it off. I licked up to the hollow of her neck and realized that everything had changed.

Her fingers were tangled in my hair and her breathing was hard. I was worried I had upset her but when I looked up into her eyes, I didn't see an ounce of fear. I leaned down and kissed her softly, asking if she was okay with me doing this. She knew she could pull away at anytime. She moaned into my mouth and wrapped her legs around me. Problem was, I already had a mess in my shorts from this morning. I didn't know how I was going to explain that sticky goo she was going to encounter. Then again, considering how she woke up, she could probably figure it out.

There was a loud banging on our front door, making Bella jump into my arms. "Hey, boy, don't tell me you turned into a possum licker!" Jessup shouted through the door.

Bella burst into giggles and I tickled her sides for teasing me as I climbed off the bed, throwing on my pants. I shut the door to hide my wife from Jessup's view. "Hey, Jessup, sorry, I ended up having a late night with my wife. "

"Wife? Boy, when did you get married?" he asked confused.

"I got married on my last run. Bella is shy. She likes to stay under the radar if you know what I mean," I said knowing that it would endear her to him even more.

A few minutes later, Bella came out dressed but her hair was still a beautiful mess. Jessup punched my shoulder, "Why, you dirty dog," he teased causing Bella to blush.

She brought us both a cup of coffee. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. McCarty. It looks like Edward is a very lucky man." He gave her a wink, causing her to blush again and hide in my side. "She's a sweet one, isn't she?"

"I think so," I said kissing her head. "I'll meet you downstairs in twenty. I need to grab a quick shower."

"I'm sure you do," he said with a wink and slipped out the door.

I hopped in the shower but made it fast. I didn't know if Bella would need one as well. I told her to go ahead and I would wait for her. I dressed quickly and found her pills. I didn't want her getting that upset again. When she came out dressed, I tucked them into her pocket. "You take these if you get upset, baby. I don't want you falling apart if I'm not there."

She nodded okay and I took her hand and led her down to the restaurant office where she had been spending her days. I kissed her goodbye and went to find Jessup and Jacob. I found Jacob looking more stressed than usual. I walked up and patted his shoulder. "You alright, man?" I asked.

He glared over at Laurent. "No, my partner is an asshole. I get why he was upset, but it's obvious that buddy of yours has a few screws loose."

"My buddy?"

"Yeah, your partner."

"Jessup?"

"Yeah, when we came in this morning, he got on our case about conspiring against him and stealing his one chance at happiness. Something about being possum riders or something. I don't know. Anyway, Laurent should have kept his mouth shut once he realized the guy wasn't all there. I mean, you don't upset crazy people. Jessup started accusing him of being in league with James, saying that we weren't covering our parcel like we should, but we weren't going to get away with it because he was going over it again."

"Jessup did point out that you guys were leaving six foot spaces unchecked."

"What?" Jake asked confused.

"Yeah. I double checked it myself with our GPS. I'm sure you know we're on the parcel next to you and we can see you through the brush as we make our passes. You guys are walking too wide. We've been re-covering your parcel once we're done with ours because of it. That's why we get in so much later."

"Laurent said he turned it up so he could detect a wider range. Is that possible?" he asked.

I waved Jessup over. He came over scowling at Jake. "Jessup, Jake here says his partner turned up his metal detector to cover a wider range. Is that possible?" I asked.

Jessup let out a frustrated breath. "Of course not, if you turn it up higher, it just looks deeper and it should already be on max so we can detect the bunker," he said with an annoyed head shake.

"Sir, would you mind showing me how to run that thing? Neither of us has any experience with them," Jake asked.

Jessup looked at him nervously.

"You know, we probably should make sure everyone knows how to use the equipment," I said. "I'm sure it would only take a few minutes and it would be better to be safe than sorry."

Jessup nodded in agreement, so him and Merle and a few other guys from the detector club stood up on a couple of long tables and did a quick demonstration. I hoped that made Jessup feel a little better about everything, but he still insisted that he get the same parcel right next to them.

We were half way down our parcel later that day when we heard fighting.

"Is it even on? What the hell, man?" I heard Jake yell.

"I just turned it down! I was getting a headache," his partner complained.

"Give me that fucker. I'll run it from now on," Jake yelled.

"Back off, Black. I know what I'm doing!"

"No, you don't! A fucking crazy dude had to show you. Now hand it over!"

We heard the distinct sound of a gun cocking. "Back off, Black. I'll put you in your place. I rank higher than you."

"Whoa, just settle down, man. I'm just trying to help find a girl and catch a killer," Jacob said.

"We shouldn't even be here. In fact, why don't we just stay right here and when it's time, we'll walk back and say we covered our search area."

"Dude, why not search?" Black asked.

"Do you really want to let a bunch of hicks find this guy? It should be us! More specifically, it should be ME! It'll make my career once I catch the world renowned serial killer. He'll have killed more women than any other serial killer in history. I'll be a national hero!"

"Man, we only know of four missing women, now five. That's hardly a huge number and I'd rather stop it before it gets too far out of hand."

"That's where you're wrong, Black; we're going to let him have his fun and build up the story. We're going to be famous. We just have to wait to catch him another year to get his numbers up higher. I'm sure he'll be talkative and tell us of the others."

"Dude, you're sick! Give me the damn metal detector and get out of here. I'll do this myself," Jacob said.

"NO!" Laurent yelled at him and I looked over at Jessup to see if he was getting this.

His face looked pissed. "Get your gun, boy, we're going in," he said and pulled back the trench coat he had been wearing. I should have known Jessup wouldn't go anywhere unarmed. He pulled out a sawed off shotgun and cocked it. I did the same to the nine millimeter that I had.

We snuck through the bushes onto the next parcel and came out right behind Laurent. "You better drop that gun or you're going to be missing your head," Jessup said in a deadly tone.

I had my gun trained on Laurent as well. "You okay, Jake? We heard you guys arguing and decided we better come give you a hand."

"Yeah," he said stepping forward and took the gun from Laurent. "I'm a lot better now. Thanks for stepping in. I don't know what his problem is; he's crazier than Jessup right now."

Jake patted his partner down, pulling out another side arm and a knife. Then he cuffed him and made sure he didn't have keys to let himself out. His arms were wrapped around a tree so he wouldn't be able to take off. Jake didn't want to waste time and took the metal detector a few paces back the way they had come. He hadn't gotten far when he called to us.

"Hey, guys, I think I got something!"

**AN: Thanks for reading and please review. I'm playing at Dollybigmomma's house again this weekend but I promise to do my best to keep updating.**


	43. Chapter 43

SM own it, dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 43 – Buried Treasure

"Hey, guys, I think I got something!" Jake shouted and Jessup and I came running.

Jessup ran his detector over the same area and looked up at Jake excited. "It's here, or something big is." They both pulled out their poles and I grabbed my shovel. I watched as the poles went down nearly four feet and then clacked on something solid. They did it a few times and then Jake started shoveling. Jessup pulled a camp shovel out from under his trench coat and started digging along with us.

We started to hear something. It was just a mumble at first but it got clearer as we worked.

**Sensitive readers skip this**_**.**_

"That's it, baby, touch yourself and whip that cream! Do it or I'll hold you under and make you whip it that way!" we heard a man yell. "Good girl, that's it. Look at what you're doing to me. Now you've got to take care of this."

Jessup was digging frantically and then we realized we were just going to hit some sort of metal roof and so Jessup picked up his detector and got to digging on to find the edge. Jake and I saw what he was doing and dug with him frantically.

"Suck it, baby, or I'll fuck you until you bleed! How do you want it? You want it in your mouth or your pussy?" we heard him taunt.

_**Sensitive readers can start here again**_.

We hit the edge of something metal and Jessup racked his shovel against it hard, alerting them to our presence.

"What the hell?" we heard him yell.

"That's it, suet, we're coming for you!" Jessup yelled down to him.

"Help! Please, god. Help me!" we heard Tanya scream.

"Shut up, bitch!" Then we heard a loud smack.

We heard something metallic squeak from further away. Jacob jumped up and ran full speed and we heard a loud grunt as they jumped into some bushes. We heard a gun go off and ran to see if Jake was okay. James was shoving Jake's body off of him when I drew my gun on him. Jessup whacked him in the head with the shovel, knocking him out and taking his gun. He looked around and saw the faint light of something down in a hole.

"Go get her!" I yelled. I didn't want to take my eyes off this guy. I pulled out my phone. "We've got them!" I shouted. "Agent Black has been shot!"

We could hear shouts of rejoicing all around us echoing but my heart sank when Jessup pulled Tanya out of the hole. She was limp. "She was under water or milk or something. He knocked her out."

"Mouth to mouth!" I shouted "Do mouth to mouth on her!"

Jessup pulled off his coat and laid her down on it and leaned over her. My eyes kept darting between James and Tanya, hoping that she would show some sign of life.

We heard sirens coming and the crunch of rock under the police cars and ambulance's tires as they drove through the brush.

"Over here!" I shouted.

Then I heard coughing and gagging and it was the most beautiful sound I could hear. Tanya was alive.

"That's it, honey, get it out. You're safe now, sweetheart. I would never let anyone hurt you," Jessup cooed to her as he wrapped her naked form in his trench coat. She curled up in his arms sobbing and he just held her and rocked her until we saw the other FBI agents come running.

"We got him from here," they said pulling their guns on James. The medics ran to Jake and started working on him fast.

"Where is officer Laurent?" one of the men asked.

"Agent Black cuffed him to a tree a ways off," I said nodding in the direction. "He went crazy, ranting about letting this guy get away so he could make a name for himself and refused to search. He pulled a gun on Black and when we heard what was going on, Jessup and I intervened. Agent Black then started back tracking on the area that Laurent had covered and that's when we found the bunker."

The guy looked like he wasn't sure if he believed us. It wasn't a secret that Jessup was a bit off but that didn't matter right now.

The medics came to look at Tanya but she was clinging to Jessup for dear life. He carried her over to the ambulance and climbed in with her. Maybe he would get a date with her after all.

They found Agent Laurent and I decided I would head back to avoid facing that bastard again but was stopped. "Your stories don't match. Agent Laurent said he found the guy and you guys jumped them to steal the glory."

"That's not what happened!"

"Well, with Black out for now, I'm afraid we're going to have to take you into custody along with your partner."

"That's bull crap. We didn't jump them. Next thing you know, he'll say we're the ones that shot Black."

The man frowned. I guess that was why we were getting taken in. They thought we were the ones that shot Black. "Can't you test for gun powder residue? I can tell you right now neither of us shot anyone. Black was helping us and when he heard James getting away, he went after him. James shot Black who was working with us!"

The guy looked over at his buddy and one of them walked back over to the car they were driving and pulled a kit out from the back seat. "Give me your hands," he said sternly and I let out a sigh of relief as I held them out. He nodded to the other guy. "He's clean; I'll go check the other guy," he said taking his kit with him to the ambulance where they were checking out Tanya.

"They need to check for gun powder, Jessup; they think we shot agent Black."

"Damn fools!" he shouted but begrudgingly offered one hand at a time so he could still hold onto Tanya.

"Thank you. Hopefully, Black will wake up and tell us what happened. Stay where we can find you," the agent warned.

"I'm staying with Ms. Tanya," Jessup snapped.

The man just nodded.

"I'll be with my wife. Please let us know how agent Black is doing. He's a family friend of hers."

The man raised an eyebrow at me in question.

She's originally from Forks, Washington. Her dad, Chief Swan, is fishing buddies with his dad," I explained.

"Chief Swan? Your wife isn't Isabella Swan is she?" he asked.

"Isabella McCarty now," I corrected, "Yes, it's her. Agent Black was on the case that busted up the kidnappers that were after her."

The man rubbed his face. "I remember when Chief Swan first showed up. Nothing was going to stop him from finding his little girl. That man is like a bulldog with a jack rabbit. He was all over the place and raised so much hell, but he actually helped us shut down four other human trafficking rings. Turns out his daughter was taken by the man that headed them all up. He tracked them right to the front door of his family's place and would have taken them down if he hadn't been blown out a second story window. I think we all cried a little that day when he said that he'd seen his daughter, but she was nowhere to be found."

"She escaped. There were some more explosions and she made it out. She thought they'd killed her father. We were happy to find out that was not the case."

"Well, how did you find her?"

"She stowed away on my ship. She was a tiny, skittish thing and was terrified of being sent back to where she came from so Captain married us. She's been with me ever since."

"Is she doing okay, has she seen her parents?" he asked.

"Yeah, they came and stayed with us for a while once we found out that her dad was okay. She was happy to see them and I think it did them all some good to see that she's safe and happy now."

"That's good. It's good to hear there was a happy ending to that. It's good that there's a happy ending here, too," he said looking over at Tanya hanging onto Jessup.

"I'm just glad it's over. It's hard to sleep when you know there's a crazy out there. I'm glad you have him now." I looked over to see James was just coming to and was surrounded by agents and a medic. He started to thrash, trying to get away, but a man pistol whipped him, knocking him out again. He deserved that and a lot more.

I made my way home and hugged my wife, pulling her tightly into my arms and then taking her to our apartment. I told her what happened and promised we would go check on agent Black the first chance we got.

"Is Tanya going to be alright?" she asked.

"Physically, I think so, but you of all people know how bad the invisible scars can be."

"I feel bad for her. She doesn't have someone like you to take care of her."

"Jessup is looking after her. She clings to him like you do me. He'll make sure she's okay."

She took in a deep breath. "That's good. It's liable to be pretty rough for her for a while and she'll probably need Carlisle. I'm glad she has Jessup. God knows we all need someone sometimes."

That He did, and I was thankful to Him every day that He let me be that someone for my Bella.

AN thanks for reading, please review.


	44. Chapter 44

I'm back and missing my girl, Dollybigmomma!

Chapter 44 – Say Amen!

I finally had time alone with my girl. Our time together had been so short the last couple of days. I was really missing her. Momma had a big celebration lunch for the whole search party, or found party as she called it. I took a couple of slices of cake and pulled my girl up the stairs to our place.

I was looking forward to just snuggling up with her. After the adrenaline high I had from catching James had started subsiding, I was exhausted. Bella brought over a couple of glasses of milk and we snuggled on the couch.

"How are you feeling today?" I asked. She seemed a lot calmer and I worried that she needed the medicine boost Dr. Cullen had prescribed for her.

"Good actually, Dr. Cullen and I have been working on my triggers for the past few weeks and I was able to open the window in the restaurant office."

"Really? That's wonderful! I didn't know you were working on that." I truly was shocked, but now that I thought about it, the last several times I found her in the office she had been looking out the window.

"Yeah, I've also gotten a lot better with the loud noises. I mean, I really had to work on that one first because of Emmett. He doesn't have a mute button. He's always so loud. Believe it or not, listening to him talking and laughing loudly in the kitchen and then the clanking of the kitchen has helped me pretty good with that. I just still can't handle strange men or angry people."

"Honey, I don't think there's a woman alive that likes strange men or angry people. That's definitely something you don't have to feel bad about."

She laughed lightly. "I know, but I still find it hard to leave the apartment because I'm afraid to encounter angry people and strange men."

"That's okay, honey, after what you went through, you have every right to be afraid." I didn't want her to feel bad for her having anxiety about going out. It was understandable that she would want to hide out in a safe place.

"Dr. Cullen wants to change our session time," she said suddenly.

"Really, to when?" I asked wondering what was going on. After-dinner sessions had become our routine. I was surprised he was changing it, especially since he was basically doing it pro bono.

"Lunch time, he wants to take a picnic down the board walk and eat in the cannon park. He wants me to push my limits."

"Do you think you can do that?" I worried it would be too much and end up setting her back.

She shrugged. "It'll be daylight. I'll be with a trusted man that I know would protect me."

"But?" I asked. I could tell she was unsure still.

"There are still a lot of people out around lunch time. Do you think you could come with me the first few times?" she asked with her big doe eyes.

"Sure, baby, of course I can," I said kissing her forehead. I would do whatever she needed to help her get her life back.

I decided it was time to change the subject. She looked like she was stressing out about her new get-better project. "Have you looked into the colleges and found one you like yet?"

"Um, actually, yeah, Horry-Georgetown Technical College in Conway has an accounting program. They offer online courses as well so I could do what I can from home. It seems to be the closest, so when I do need to take some classes, I can go in for them."

"Really, honey, that's great. You should apply and see if you can get into some classes this spring semester," I said pulling her close. We were already most way through November so I was sure there weren't any classes to be taken right now.

"Okay, I'll apply, but what are we going to do for the tuition?" she asked looking a little worried.

"I told you, I have savings. We can probably swing a semester without assistance. Just apply for grant money as well. I already put in for a student loan but I don't know how long until that comes through. Just don't worry about it, baby. We'll get it. I have it in savings like I said, so we'll be fine. I just want you to do what you want."

She nodded okay and promised to apply for the spring semester tomorrow. "So, tell me what you want to do once you get your degree."

She smiled at me. "Well, I noticed you don't have an accounting office anywhere near here, and there's that vacant office next door to the restaurant. I mean, it is kind of big but maybe I could split it with someone else and open a little business. I could probably make some good money around tax season before you ship off so you wouldn't have to worry about me, and then I could help manage your mom's books. I've always been good with numbers and used to take care of my mom's finances before Phil. I was the reason she still had a half decent credit score when they got married."

"Well, now I'm really glad to hear that. I'm crap when it comes to managing money. I just have everything set up on automatic payments coming out of one account. Speaking of which, I want to put your name on it but they lady at the bank said I have to bring you in with your ID and have you sign the papers yourself. We should probably get you a new license with your new name. I'm sure the school will want to see it."

She looked at me worried.

"Do you think you can do that?" I asked realizing that visiting the DMV and the bank would probably be a challenge for her.

She let out a deep breath. "Yeah, I guess it's something I have to get done before you leave just in case I need to get something. I'll need to be able to fill my prescriptions as well."

I kissed her lips lightly. "I don't want to leave you."

"I know. Maybe I can tell Carlisle what I need to do and he can help me work up to it?"

"That sounds like a good idea." We finished the rest of our cake in silence and I couldn't help but worry about what the spring would bring. I didn't want to leave my girl but she seemed determined to send me off.

After we finished our cake, there was a knock on my door. Emmett stood there bouncing on his feet. "Hey, Edward, can you come help me set up my new bed?"

"New bed?" I asked curious.

"Yeah, I got a new one and I need a hand. You can come, too, Bella."

"Why did you get a new bed?" Bella asked. "Your old one seemed fine."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "No, well, see, I've had to sleep on my couch since the night you all came to dinner. I'm exhausted and can't wait to crash on this one. It is a pillow top."

I noticed that Emmett still had not answered Bella's question. "Emmett, what was wrong with your old bed?" I asked. I had a sneaky suspicion that it had to do with the gay porn I'd left on it.

Emmett's eyes darted to Bella nervously.

"Emmett, does this have anything to do with the magazines I found under your bed?" she asked.

His eyes widened and he cleared his throat.

"What magazines, dear?" I asked Bella.

"You know, like the one he had tucked under your bed that we found when we got back from the ship."

My eyes widened. "Really, Emmett, you had more stuff after Mom got rid of your collection?"

"That wasn't my collection!" he nearly shouted. "I don't know where Bella found all that stuff."

"Well, there was one under the sink in the bathroom that I was worried would go moldy so I hung it out to dry. The ones tucked in the couch I just pulled out and set with your other magazines. I didn't think anyone would be reading them!" she defended. "As for the stuff under your bed, how was I supposed to vacuum under it with them down there?"

Emmett was getting redder but not madder. He looked completely embarrassed and nervous.

"Look, Emmett, it's not my business what you read but maybe you should pick one spot to keep that stuff so I know where to put it next time I help out. I really don't feel all that comfortable handling that stuff and there was a lot of it spread all over."

"I swear, it wasn't mine!" Emmett freaked out. I actually pulled Bella back, surprised she wasn't scared. I was proud of her and happy that she trusted Emmett enough to know he would never hurt her.

"Emmett, please don't raise your voice to my wife. It's obvious that stuff was yours and we're okay with that. We don't judge you for having a problem, we all have issues. I guess I was a little surprised to see that Jasper doll, though," I said in a caring voice.

"That's nothing; you should have seen the magazines in his bedroom," Bella said. "There was some pretty graphic man on man stuff in there."

"What?" I asked shocked and looked at Emmett.

"It wasn't mine! I'm getting a new bed. That wasn't mine!"

"You know, Emmett, I would love you even if you were gay."

"I'M NOT GAY!"

"Okay," I said in a patronizing tone, letting him know I didn't really believe him. "Just know that we love you."

He slapped his hand over his face and groaned. "Never mind, I'll move the bed myself."

"No, no, I'll help. Will you be alright on your own here for a minute?" I asked Bella.

She nodded yes and I kissed her goodbye.

We were just off the stairs and down the boardwalk a ways when I just had to ask. "So, Emmett, what's a dick pump? Bella said she found one at your place but neither of us could figure out what that would be for. Is that what you used to pump up the Jasper doll?"

"What? HOW? OH, just, ah!" he fumbled, obviously embarrassed that I'd asked the question as we walked past people on our way to his place.

"Are you okay, Emmett?" I asked with false concern.

He was rubbing his face. "I got rid of all that crap and I have no clue what the heck a dick pump is, that doll was not mine. I never saw that stuff until that night at dinner..."

I saw in his face the moment the parts all clicked together. He turned to me wide eyed and furious. "YOU!"

Thank heavens for my quick feet. I was down the boardwalk heading back to the restaurant, howling with laughter the whole way. There was only one safe place from Emmett and that was behind Momma in the kitchen.

I came skidding in and she almost spilled a pot of gravy. "Edward, what on earth?" she asked but when she turned and saw Emmett's red face, she knew what I was doing.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Edward planted the porn in my apartment!"

"That's crazy!" I defended. "You know how sensitive my wife is. We were lucky her progress wasn't set back because of that crap you had."

"Crap! You're the one that bought it!" he shouted.

"Boys!" my mother chastened us setting the gravy pot down loudly.

"He's just mad at me because I asked him why he had gay porn. That's kind of odd, don't you think? I mean, I told him we would still love him if he was, but he insists he's not gay," I said.

My mother looked at Emmett worried.

"I had to buy a new bed because of you!" he shouted lunging at me. Thank heavens Jasper was there because he caught him before he could hit me.

"That's enough! Emmett, you take this outside, and be sure your Sunday shirt is clean and pressed. I'm picking you up for the nine o'clock service."

"But, Ma, it wasn't my porn," he whined.

"Really, Emmett? I found it all over your house and you're trying to blame this on Edward?" she asked.

"Bella, actually, he thought she was the one that put it all over the place. She just took it all out of the hiding spots as she was cleaning," I added. "I think he's just trying to get out of going to church."

"Emmett," our mother said scolding him, "You think that dear little girl that had been traumatized would willingly handle such garbage? You should thank her for outing your little problem so it can be addressed."

"But, Ma..." Emmett whined.

"No buts, you leave Edward alone. He has a wife I'm sure needs tending to. If you need help with something, take Jasper. I don't want to hear about this again, that goes for both of you, understand?" she looked at us both firmly.

"Yes, Ma'am," we answered back.

"Good. Now, Jasper, could you please be a dear and help Emmett with his bed, and make sure Edward gets back to his apartment in one piece?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered walking in between us.

Once momma was out of earshot, Emmett was glaring. "I can't believe you! I'm so getting you back! Why would you pull crap like this? What did I ever do to you?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe it was because you left your porn for my new traumatized wife to find the first night we were shore side knowing that there was a chance Momma would find it and be dragging my butt to church."

"But she didn't."

"Emmett, Bella found it. Do you remember how nervous and timid she was when you first met her? She practically ran from the thing like it was on fire it freaked her out so bad."

He looked down at his feet. "I didn't think you would ever bring anyone home."

"Yeah, well, you thought wrong, and my sweet scared wife was looking at me like a creep that night and I wondered if she ever really believed me when I told her that it wasn't mine. You know how Pa always said that stuff was bad for a relationship. That was not what I needed when starting out my marriage. I was lucky that she did believe me."

Emmett rubbed his neck and looked up at Jasper and then me. "Tell Bella I'm so sorry." He let out a breath. "Is there any chance you can help me get out of church?"

I laughed a little. "I don't think so. Maybe if you get real serious with Rosalie, Mom won't worry for your soul so much."

He let out a chuckle. "Yeah, maybe, she was always saying we needed good women to steer us right."

"Yup, I got mine. You get yours."

"You know I'm still going to get you back, right?" he warned with a smile.

"Oh, I know. Just keep my wife out of it," I begged.

He snickered. "I will; my beef is with you. Of course, the way you went running to Momma, maybe I should say my chicken is with you, bock, bock, bock," he taunted flapping his arms like a chicken.

"Emmett, what are you doing?" Bella called down from the porch laughing.

"He's just letting his true nature shine through, honey, nothing to worry about."

"Okay. I was worried Jessup was rubbing off on him or something," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, little girl, just watch yourself, or next thing you know, you'll be doing hard time on the pew next to me in church," he teased.

I really hoped my momma got off of Emmett's back before Bella was well enough to attend. Some of those church girls were a bit vamped. I would hate to go anywhere near them again, that was for sure.

A/N Thanks for reading, please review. I know it's running late but I just got into town late tonight. I had a blast with Dollybigmomma!


	45. Chapter 45

SM owns it, Dollbigmomma rocks it, I just write it!

Chapter 45 – Tip Off

The next morning, Bella was curled up on my chest like a kitten. Okay, a big kitten, but just as adorable. I stroked her hair and rubbed her back. She nuzzled into my chest, then stretched and smiled up at me.

"Morning, beautiful," I said, happy she was in my arms and smiling this morning.

"Hey, handsome," she said and stretched her legs down. I didn't miss how her knee ran over my crotch a couple of times. My body reacted quickly and I groaned as I grabbed her leg, stilling it.

She giggled, "What's up?"

"Very funny," I said smirking.

She then started to wiggle down my body and I wondered where she was going.

"Bella, what are you doing?"

"Seeing what's up," she giggled and moved down further. "Wow, Edward; there's really something pushing your boxers up down here. I wonder what it could be?" she said pulling on them. I lifted my hips because who was I to stop my wife. I would always give her what she wanted. "I found the culprit; you have a ground hog in your shorts," she said grabbing my dick roughly, making me groan in pleasure. "He must have gotten in there when you were digging on your rescue mission yesterday. Don't worry, I caught him. I'll be sure to take care of it." She surprised me by nuzzling her nose into my balls. "Such cuddly fur and so soft," she said stroking me.

It was hard to moan and laugh at the same time, my girl was awesome.

"He's so cute, Edward. Can we keep him?" she asked kissing my tip.

"Yes, please. I'm rather attached as well," I gasped as she worked me.

"Hmm, I see that." She gave it a good tug, causing my hips to buck. "I guess we are keeping him. I think we should name him Bucky because he bucks when I do this." She gave me a lick, a squeeze, and a good yank, making me buck again. I didn't give a crap what she called it as long as she kept doing that to it.

She climbed up my body, still working me in her hand and kissed me gently. She suddenly jumped off the bed and put on a t-shirt and headed for the door. I let out a whimper.

"Is something wrong?" she asked innocently.

"No," I pouted. "Bucky was just hoping you would play with him this morning but if you're not up to it..." I shrugged pitifully.

She giggled and ran over to the bed, jumping on me. She was in such a playful mood this morning and I was loving it. I kissed her lips and neck and gripped her backside, rubbing into her center. She moaned this time. "That's it. Let Bucky play with you," I growled breathing heavy in her ear. She gripped me tighter and started bucking up into me. "That's it, baby, let Bucky dig that hole. One of these days he'll start playing peek-a-boo with you."

I tried to sound sexy but I guess I failed because she burst into a fit of giggles. I had to admit, though, I did enjoy seeing her laugh like that so I just went with it and started tickling her. She retaliated and I realized I was way more ticklish than her and quickly ended up on the floor, laughing and gasping for air as she hung off the side of the bed smiling.

"I win," she announced.

"Honey, haven't you figured it out yet. With me, you'll always win," I promised honestly still gasping for breath.

She slid down into my arms and kissed my lips softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I kissed her again and our soft sweet kissing quickly got heated.

Next thing I knew, we were buck naked and rubbing up against each other. I wanted her so badly but I would not make the next move. I knew she wasn't ready but it was hard to hold back. I was on my back gripping her hips for dear life as she rubbed against me. She pulled at my neck, asking me to sit up and I quickly kissed her lips and eyed her breasts. I wanted them. She saw where I was looking and smiled as she leaned in. "Touch them, baby, they're yours," she whispered and I bucked hard in response. Her voice was so beautiful. I attacked her neck, wrapping my arms around her, feeling her breasts squish between us. I snaked a hand up and pinched her nipple lightly, causing her to bounce and hit me a little differently. It felt so nice and warm, like I was getting buried deeper in her. I'd bet sex felt a lot like this and I was looking forward to it. I pinched her nipple a couple more times, causing her to moan my name. I grunted, trying to hold back but she bucked funny against me and I was losing it fast as I watched her come undone in my arms. She went to relax but suddenly stiffened.

"What's wrong? Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" I asked panicked.

I started to wiggle around to move out from under her but she clawed my sides. "Don't move!" she said panicked.

"What is it? Please, baby." She was freaking me out. She carefully lifted herself a little and fell to the floor next to me. I quickly gathered her up in my arms, not wanting her to be away from me. I didn't want her to be mad at me. "Bella, baby, please tell me what I did, I swear I'll never do it again."

She dropped her head on my shoulder and sobbed softly. I picked her up and snuggled down into the bed with her, covering her in tender kisses on her head, shoulder and anywhere I could reach. "I sorry, baby, please, please help me understand," I begged feeling horrible for what I had done. I knew I shouldn't have let it go that far.

"I'm sorry I'm so messed up," she finally whispered.

"You're not messed up, baby, you're just working on things," I said cupping her face. She needed to know I didn't see her as messed up, just beautiful.

She smiled softly at me. "You're so wonderful. I shouldn't have ruined that."

"You didn't ruin anything. Nothing is good if it upsets you, so it obviously wasn't that wonderful," I said kissing her nose.

"But it was, Edward, it really was. I freaked out just because your tip slipped inside of me."

My eyes widened. "What? I didn't…Oh, baby, I'm so sorry, are you okay? I swear I didn't..."

"It's alright, Edward, I know you didn't mean to and you didn't really go in far. I just felt you push in a little. You almost did and that's what made me panicky. My hymen is still intact so I'm fine," she let out a relieved huff and I pulled her tightly to me.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I promise it won't happen again. I swear."

"Don't say that," she looked up at me sadly. "I want it to happen with you. I'm just not ready for it yet."

"I know, baby. I'll be ready when you are and not a moment sooner, alright?" I reassured her and she leaned in and kissed me.

"I love you, you're so wonderful, baby," she said kissing my neck, cheek and lips.

"I love you, too, sweetheart." I did, but I couldn't help but feel like a jerk for slipping her my Bucky.

We met with Dr. Cullen for lunch. He seemed to think it was a good idea for me to come as well. I was surprised to see how she handled the stress of sitting in the park. Her hands were shaking slightly and she was leaning into me, but she was dealing with it well, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. She squeezed my hand frequently but Dr. Cullen agreed with me that she was doing great. To an outside observer, we would just look like a cuddling couple. She was doing awesome.

I was a little surprised at how easy it was for Bella to talk to Dr. Cullen about our intimate activities. I was blushing red and I wasn't sure I liked how casually Dr. Cullen praised and encouraged our interaction in the bedroom.

"What is it that frightens you the most about losing your virginity, dear?" he asked her kindly.

She gripped my arm as if her words would make me leave but they never would. "I'm still..." she stopped and took a deep breath, "If they come for me again, it's the only thing that will keep me safe. It'll keep them from doing to me what they did to the other girls," she whispered as a few tears ran down her face.

I pulled her tightly against me up into my lap. "I will never let them take you or touch you, or find you. You're mine now, honey. You're safe with me. With us," I said looking up to Dr. Cullen for help.

"He's right, you know. The man that ran the ring is dead. Remember agent Black informed you that he died in prison?"

She let out a shuttering breath. "I know; I'm just not ready yet."

I kissed her head. "I know, and it's okay. You don't have to push yourself, honey. We're fine for now."

"You're doing great, Bella. I'm glad you're still trying to push your limits. You need to continue to try, but don't push too hard because you could have a setback and we don't want that, either. Just do what you believe you can work through," Dr. Cullen encouraged. "Now, did you want to try and go to the hospital and visit agent Black?" he asked and my girl perked up right away.

We stopped in the gift shop and bought him balloons. Bella wanted flowers but I thought they were too girly; they were all pink and yellow. She laughed at me and bought a blue balloon that said get well with some green ones as well as red. I approved of the manly helium bouquet and she giggled at me. "Next time you can carve him a manly butterfly," she whispered.

"Hey, I only do that for my beautiful wife," I said poking her side. She giggled and I saw Dr. Cullen smile. I was glad I was able to keep her mind off her surroundings. I wrapped my arm around her and Dr. Cullen led us to Jake's room. Apparently, he had been treating agent Black. At least that was what I gathered when he said that he had visited with Jake and he had asked about us.

I knocked lightly on the door and we heard Jake's voice call for us to come in. His whole face lit up when he saw that it was us with a mess of balloons.

"Hey, Bells, it's good to see you getting out," Jake said looking amused at the balloons. "Are those for me?" he asked.

"Yes," Bella answered nervously.

I decided to take over. "She wanted to get you pink and yellow flowers but I insisted on these instead, much more manly."

He just chuckled as he looked at the colorful mess bopping around in his room. "Yeah, balloons are manly," he said in a teasing voice causing Bella to giggle a little.

"Hey, gas filled airborne objects are manly," I defended.

"Well, when you put it like that," he nodded still laughing. "You guys are great. I'm glad to see you're all doing well. I hear Tanya is doing fine and staying with Jessup because she still doesn't feel safe at her apartment."

"Yes, she is," I confirmed. I was a little surprised when my mom had told me she went home with Jessup after they checked her over at the hospital and gave her clean bill of health.

"So, I hear congratulations are in order," he said looking at Bella and we both looked at each other confused.

"You're going to be a big sister," Jake said in a duh voice causing us both to laugh.

She nodded yes.

"My dad said Renee is dragging Charlie around by his nose but he's happy about it so he's saying nothing," he said as he shifted in his bed. "I hear you're going to school. How it that going?"

"She graduated already," I announced proudly and she blushed.

"Really! That is slamming, Bells! I always knew you were a smarty," he praised her excitedly. "Are you thinking about going to college?" he asked.

She nodded yes timidly.

"She's looking into going to HGT. It's a college about an hour from here and she can take most of her courses on line."

"That's great!" he said excitedly. "I'll bet your parents are thrilled."

My girl frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked worried.

"We haven't really talked to her parents about it. She just decided on what school to apply to last night."

He made a zipping motion across his mouth. "Don't worry, Bells, I won't spill the beans. I'm sure they'll be proud of you when they find out."

She smiled softly at him.

"Bella, dear, may I see your hands?" Dr. Cullen asked. She held them up and they were shaking badly. "I think we've had a long enough outing for today. Are you ready to go back home?"

She nodded yes but pouted at Jake as an apology.

"Don't worry about it, Bells. I'm thrilled you came to see me. The fact that you even bothered to try is just awesome to me, so don't sweat it," he said with a big smile.

"Thanks, Jake," I said offering him a handshake.

"Thank you, for the manly balloons or gas filled airborne objects," he said smiling widely again.

"Anytime," I offered and we headed out.

Dr. Cullen drove us to our apartment and talked to Bella as we went, telling her how wonderful she did today and that he had spoken to Esme about having down time for us to be alone so she could recuperate. Bella would eventually be able to go out on her own but it would take a lot of work to get there. I wanted to be there every step of the way.

I truly hoped she changed her mind about sending me away to work in the spring. I wanted my girl to get better but I was worried she was pushing herself too hard. Down time with my girl sounded nice right now, though. I hoped she would recover from our outing fast. I was really looking forward to getting better acquainted with Bella's body and doing all the little things that made her come undone in my arms.

Bucky couldn't agree more.


	46. Chapter 46

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma is the patient loving beta that didn't kill me when I sent her four versions of this chapter! Yes, I was feeling a little nuts last night. Poor woman beta'd this at 2am because she is amazing! Give her some love!

Chapter 46 - Being a baby

Over the next few weeks, I spent my lunches with Bella and Dr. Cullen, trying to take comfort in the little progress she continued to make. Of course, as she relaxed more, I became more paranoid. I was constantly on the lookout for strange faces but never really found any.

It was the last day that I was to have lunch with them. Tomorrow would be Bella's first time to have lunch alone with Dr. Cullen. I think I was freaking out more than she was. In fact, she seemed downright comfortable with the idea of going to lunch in the park alone with Dr. Cullen.

It was like her anxiety was transferring to me and I was slowly going nuts. I felt like I was losing my girl. What if she didn't need me anymore and she finally saw me for what I really was, just a poor southern boy?

I made my way back down the boardwalk, following behind Bella and Dr. Cullen instead of walking next to her. She wanted to see if she could handle the walk without me. I think I was going to go nuts if she could handle life without me. But wasn't that the goal? She wanted me to go away on the ship so I could leave her alone. Was I crowding her? It didn't seem like it, not to me at least.

After lunch, Bella was going to hang out with Rose and Alice in the office. They were painting nails or something like that.

Mom had me doing inventory so I would be busy, but I guess after spending a lunch not being needed, I suddenly wanted to be close to her. Maybe I needed her.

I was busy stacking bags of beans and rice when I heard the office door open. My mom went in to join the group and she had a bag from the local Walgreens. I figured she picked herself up a new polish color or whatever. Emmett asked me to go cover the front and bus since the girls were busy and so I slipped on an apron and got to it.

I had been serving and bussing for about an hour when the office door finally opened and the group of girls disbanded.

Bella walked over and hugged me, giggling as the girls all flashed their odd colored fingers and toes. Their fingernails were pink and toenails blue. I had no idea why and I wasn't even going to try and find out. Mom asked my girl to help her in the kitchen and I ran the last couple of orders before I came back to rest a minute. I figured the bell on the door would chime if someone came in.

I was leaning on the wall next to the pantry door when I overheard the most insane conversation. "I can't believe it, Emmy, this place is going to be crawling with babies," Rosalie said excitedly.

I looked at the doorway thinking I shouldn't be overhearing this. "Oh, sugar, I'm so happy I'm going to be a daddy," Emmett said. "I can't believe Mom is pregnant, too. Who knew Carlisle had it in him?"

I choked at that. On what I was choking, I didn't know because there was nothing in my mouth, but I was losing it.

"You can't say anything about Bella, though. She's so worried that Edward isn't going to go back out on the ship as it is, if he knew she was pregnant, there would be no way…"

I didn't hear the rest of that. I just yelled, "WHAT?"

Rose and Emmett popped their heads out of the pantry and Emmett yanked me inside and looked out the door left and right before he closed it. "Man, you can't tell anyone what you heard," he spoke in a serious tone.

"What the…" I started.

"Edward," Rose started in, "I'm sure Bella would like to tell you on her own and the same with Esme. You can't ruin this for them," she scolded.

"I, um, you, they, NO," I stuttered out. "It's…no, no way. I mean we haven't…" I realized they had to be pulling my leg. Bella and I hadn't even had sex. "Oh, no you don't, Bella and I still haven't had sex," I said proudly.

"No, but you guys are fooling around and your sperm has obviously been close enough to where it needed to be," Rose said with an eye roll. "You better not pull the 'it's not mine' shit, either, Edward McCarty, or I'll beat your ass," Rose said poking me in the chest. She looked really scary.

Her words sank in and I thought back to our little slip up about a month ago where she almost lost her virginity. HOLY COW! It totally was possible.

"Ed, man, do you need to sit down?" Emmett asked. "Rosie, watch out," he guided me to sit on a stack of beans. "Man, you going to be okay? You look kind of pale," he said.

I was having trouble processing the words he was saying.

"Maybe we should get Bella," Rose said slipping out of the pantry.

"Edward, are you okay?" Bella asked looking worried and confused.

I pulled her onto my lap and kissed her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. How are you feeling?"

"I would feel better if you would tell me what's wrong?"

I looked at her fingers and toes again. Pink and blue, holy freaking cow, she was painting them to let me know she was pregnant. "What's with the pink and blue?" I asked hinting I knew.

She shrugged. "Rose thought it would be fun for her and Esme and I to all have matching nails since we all work together. We tried to get Alice to paint hers but she didn't want to."

"I suppose not, I mean her and Jasper were just married. Their relationship is still new," I explained.

She looked at me confused. "Edward, what are you talking about?" she asked.

"Emmett, where are Edward and Bella?" I heard my mother ask.

Emmett opened the pantry door. "Oh, Bella was just telling Edward she's pregnant," he said casually.

My mother let out a squeal that rattled the windowpanes. I was surprised they didn't break. My girl looked just as stunned at me.

"A baby! I'm so excited. I can't wait for the shopping and cuddling! Oh, my goodness, how far along are you?" she asked my girl but Bella was freaking out so I thought I would answer for her.

"About a month, I think," I said looking at her for confirmation. I mean, that was when the slip up happened so I assumed that was when it was, right?

She looked at me like I was insane and then ran out of the room. I chased after her and found her in the office bathroom puking.

"Don't worry, dear, that's perfectly normal," my mother said and I joined my wife on the floor, rubbing her back. A baby. How the heck was this going to fit into our plans?

My mother was practically bouncing off the walls and I wondered if she shouldn't be taking it easy. "Mom, don't you need to settle down?" I asked her.

"Why, sugar, this is the best news I've gotten all year!" she squealed.

"What about, I mean, wasn't finding out about your baby good? You are happy with Carlisle, right?"

She looked at me like I was cross-eyed. "Edward, what are you talking about?"

I looked to my girl and then my mom. "Emmett said you both were pregnant, along with Rosalie."

"WHAT!" She looked furious. She looked at the office door and then at my girl. "So, Bella didn't tell you she was pregnant, Emmett did?" she checked and suddenly it all fell into place. I looked down at my girl who looked at me sadly.

"Bella, are you?" I asked.

She shook her head no vigorously.

I let out a relieved sigh and hugged her.

"Mom?" I asked.

"No, I'm not," she said sternly and pissed.

"Well, is Rosalie at least pregnant like they said?" I asked. The girls looked at each other.

"I'm going to find out," my mother said like she was ready for war. She whipped her spatula out of her apron pocket and I heard her shout. "EMMETT EUGENE MCCARTY!"

"Ooh, she's full naming him. He'll be lucky to get out of the kitchen alive." I felt bad that Bella was upset but I couldn't help but smile. Emmett was in _trouble _with a capital_ T_.

A/N thanks for reading please review.


	47. Chapter 47

Check out my one shot, Rock. I just posted it today. It was why my writing has been a bit sporadic, along with another mini story/one-shot I'm working on based on my make out session with a beautiful black lady named Trixie. Just kidding! But Dollybigmomma and I did come up with the idea after her brother's enormous black lab dog stuck her tongue in my mouth. Yuck! There are no dogs in that story, though, just a hooker and a shy boy. Gotta love it!

Rock, however, is a one shot about an innocent girl and a guy with a drug problem lost in the music world. He saves her so it's her turn to save him. Hopefully. Check it out!

Chapter 47 - Smoking

I should have been more upset with Emmett but my momma seemed to have enough fury for us all. I took Bella up to our apartment so she didn't have to listen to her raise hell and scare the devil out of it. There was a reason I never crossed my momma and now Emmett was finding out why himself. I'd bet she roped Rosalie into going to church with her as well since she was in on it.

I tucked my girl into our bed and ran my fingers through her hair as I waited for her to settle down.

"Do you want kids?" she finally asked.

I looked down at her surprised. I just shrugged. I did, but not now so how did I answer that? No but yes or yes but no? Yeah, the shrug seemed to make more sense to me at this time.

"I don't think I'm ready to have kids."

"Me neither," I said kissing her head.

"Are you just saying that? Did you want me to be pregnant?" she asked.

I laughed a little and shook my head no. "How are you supposed to go to school if you're having babies?"

"Babies?"

"We were going to have two eventually, right?" I said remembering our discussion.

She nodded yes. "But not now."

"No, not now, we have too much going on. Don't you think?" I asked hoping she agreed.

She let out a breath and relaxed in my arms. "Yeah."

"Okay, so um, just so we're clear, when would we have these supposed babies?"

She looked up at me and laughed. "You sound like you're in pain, are you sure you want kids?" she asked me giggling still.

I let out a breath and loosened my grip on her, lying back on the bed. She climbed up my body and looked down at me. "We don't have to have kids, Edward."

"Isn't that what married people do, make more little people?" I asked.

She giggled again and I was happy she was feeling better. "We don't have to. In fact, we can decide not to decide until later. You know, like after I'm done with school and maybe have a little accounting business to help fund any baby making we do take up."

I nodded okay. "Right, you just let me know when that is and I'll, you know, help you out with that part of it," I said waving at her tummy and she fell off of me laughing.

"Oh, my god, Edward, how are we ever going to have sex if you can't even say it and I can't do it?" I was glad she found this amusing because I found the whole mess distressing.

I decided I'd had enough of being laughed at and jumped on her, tickling her and causing her to squirm and squeal, making me smile.

"That's what you get for laughing at me," I said going after her again but this time she was ready and once again I found myself squirming away from her and falling off the bed. I rolled under it and poked my head out at her. I reached out, grabbing her foot on the other side, tickling it until she squirmed away.

She jumped up on the bed, knocking all manner of dust and crap out of it, causing me to scramble out from under it. She jumped down on me and I rolled over squishing her under me and then flipped over and started tickling again.

"I'm gonna pee!" she screamed and I flopped to the side laughing and punching the air.

"I'm the tickle champion!" I shouted.

"For now," she said laughing and ran to the bathroom.

I would just have to make sure she had a lot to drink before our next tickle fight if I wanted to win.

I was still laughing and plotting my next win when I realized Bella had been in the bathroom and quiet for a long time.

"Bella?" I called to her.

She didn't answer so I knocked on the door. When she didn't answer, I told her I was coming in and that was when I saw her sitting on the bathroom floor crying.

I quickly rushed to her, pulling her up into my arms. "Honey, what is it?" I asked.

She pointed to a box of tampons.

"Do you need me to get your pain pills? I can have Mom come sit with you while I run and get you some chocolate or something," I offered.

She threw herself into my arms and just started crying harder. "I'm sorry," she whimpered.

I picked her up and carried her to the bed. "Sorry for what, baby?"

She was just crying softly into my shoulder not talking and I had no idea what was wrong with her. I kissed her forehead and told her I was going to call Dr. Cullen. She was obviously upset about something but hadn't told me what yet. I was worried I had set her off with our tickle fight. I kept running it over in my head but she was happy and laughing when she went into the bathroom.

Before I could leave the bed she told me not to call him, that he couldn't help. She started full out bawling and I begged her to tell me what was wrong.

She grabbed her notebook and I had to admit I felt a twinge of jealously and anger when she started to write. I wanted her to just tell me what the heck was wrong! I couldn't fix it if I didn't know.

She surprised me by tearing the paper out of the book and handing it to me. I look down at it confused, but once I read what she wrote, everything went black.

"Edward, Edward, please wake up," I heard my angel begging.

My eyes fluttered open and I saw her wet eyes shining with relief. I looked around trying to figure out why I was on the floor and why my head hurt when I remembered the note she had passed me. I sat up looking for the paper and saw she had moved it to the nightstand.

"That…" I said pointing at it and she burst into tears. "You, I…"

"Please, Edward, I need you," she whispered.

I quickly settled down so I could be the man she needed. I pushed aside my panic and held her tightly in my arms.

"So, um, I should go to the store. Right?" I asked her. She looked up at me. "For, like, a test?" I was just shooting out ideas. That was what you were supposed to do, right, buy a test?

I tucked her into her bed and picked up the note. "I'll be right back, okay? Do you want me to get my mom?"

"NO! No, just be quick, okay?"

I looked at her worried. I would take my bike so I could be extra fast. I leaned over and kissed her softly before I headed out the door, locking it as I looked at the note in my hand.

'_Edward, I'm late. I think I may be pregnant.'_

I couldn't get there and back fast enough.

I burst through the pharmacy doors and looked left and right for the flashing neon sign that said 'pregnancy tests this aisle.' They should have one of those because at this point I was such a shaking mess I could hardly read the signs at the end of the aisles.

The woman that helped me when Bella got her period came walking up with a smile. "Need some help again, honey?" she asked.

I tried to pull my brain together enough to make a sentence. It didn't work, but thankfully she noticed the note in my hand. I almost didn't let her have it but relented when I realized I was taking too long.

She looked up at me and waved me to follow her. She stopped me in front of a bunch of pink and blue boxes. I was staring at them blank-faced, completely lost. There were a lot of pregnancy tests. How did anyone know which one was the right one? I didn't know anything about girl stuff. What if I got the wrong one?

The lady had mercy on me and handed me two boxes and grabbed a small bouquet of flowers and some chocolates as we made our way to the register.

She checked me out and then pulled my chin up so I looked her in the eye. "You smile and be there for her no matter what these say," she said as she put them in the bag.

I nodded okay. She was right. We would get through this no matter what they said.

I was zipping back to the apartment when I saw smoke. There was more smoke than the normal grill would put off and I rushed faster. I saw my mom with Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and a few others on the sidewalk.

"Where is Bella?" I screamed and started running for our apartment. The smoke was thick up here on the porch and I banged on the door, realizing I'd locked it. I quickly pulled out my keys and opened the door and was thankful there wasn't a mess of smoke in here yet. I ran to our room and found her sleeping and quickly picked her up in my arms, not even wasting time to wake her.

I start running for the door when she woke and started to fight me. She couldn't see it was me through the smoke and it was too thick to call to her so I just threw her over my shoulder and ran down the steps and up the boardwalk. I couldn't get to the front by the restaurant anymore; the fire has consumed that part of the building.

Once we were in the fresh air, I pulled Bella off my shoulder and cradled her in my arms crying. She was unconscious and I didn't know why. I didn't know if it was from the smoke or something else. What if she was pregnant and now there was something wrong with the baby or it was making her sick?

Alice came running out her back door, just realizing that I had collapsed out there with Bella and she looked down the boardwalk and saw the fire. We heard the fire trucks but could tell that the building wouldn't be salvageable. Everything would be gone. My wife was gone, and the restaurant was gone. I was falling to pieces.

I was holding onto Bella for dear life crying when I felt someone pulling on me. My mother grabbed my face. She was crying but was pulling on my arms. "You've got to let them look at her, Edward. Let them check her out."

I finally released her to some paramedics. My mother helped me climb into the ambulance and we rode to the hospital. I was sitting there in shock and a nurse took my vitals as they worked on Bella. They were trying to ask me questions but I was struggling to hear them. All I saw was Bella laying there motionless. I wanted her to wake up. I wanted her to show me she was still alive.

"Mr. McCarty!" the nurse yelled in my face.

I looked at her and scowled.

"We need to get some information on your wife. Is she on any medications?"

I told her the pills she took for anxiety.

"Is she on birth control?" she asked when she realized I hadn't named any.

I shook my head no.

"Is there any chance she may be pregnant."

I sobbed and nodded yes because I had just left for the damn test. I should have taken her with me.

I heard the nurse and the doctor talking but it was all mumbled. I was focused on Bella again.

My mother made her way into the room and was hugging me.

"She's going to be alright, honey. They said she's fine. She's going to be alright," she promised.

But I wasn't going to be alright until I saw her brown eyes looking back at me telling me she was fine herself.

A/N: Sorry this chapter isn't so happy. It's part of the plot, I swear and it's all Dollybigmomma's fault so blame her! She said I should burn the place down. (Points finger at Dollybigmomma.)

Thanks for reading and please review.

Note from Dollybigmomma: Just keep in mind what happens in the forest after a forest fire. Sometimes you have to burn off the chaff to make way for renewal!

I have a couple of stories to rec that I'm currently enjoying!

_**Planet Twilight by Melanieintn**_: Aliens, just saying, freaking awesome world she creates. I want to live there even if there is no Wal-Mart! Oh, yeah, freaking hot alien sex. You want to read this.

_**The Red Eye by Bad Jujube**_: Let me tell you I love her Edward. He is so pathetically hilarious you can't help but love him. This story _will_ make you laugh, read it! You need a laugh after this sad chapter.


	48. Chapter 48

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it!

Pictures!

On my authors page is a link to pictures for this story so

check it out!

Chapter 48 Sometimes Negativity is a Good Thing

I didn't know how long I sat next to Bella's hospital bed but it seemed like an eternity. They all swore she was fine, that she had just passed out and they were letting her rest until they had some test results back. When I asked what results, they said they wanted to get the pregnancy test results back, as she had obviously been very upset to pass out, and if she was still upset, it would stress the baby.

In other words, they wanted to let her wake on her own if she was pregnant. If she wasn't, they would wake her and see if they needed to settle her down then. Apparently, most relaxants were not good to take during pregnancy.

If she was pregnant, she would have to stop taking the extra anti-anxiety meds she was on and would have to stop her daily one during her last trimester. She would be a mess if she was pregnant. There was no way I could ever leave her. I would have to stay home.

Home.

Our home was gone. We had no home. I looked to my mom who was sitting fast asleep in the chair across the room. I knew she would insist that we stay with her. She had room. I knew we had insurance from when I ran the place. It was good. I hoped she had remembered to renew it. I pinched the bridge of my nose then looked at my girl.

Why wouldn't she wake up!

The doctor came in again followed by Dr. Cullen, who had his little bag with him. He was smiling sadly at me. He walked over to my mom, taking her hand and kissing it. She woke and smiled at him sadly.

"The tests have all come back. She isn't pregnant, so we can try waking her. Dr. Cullen was listed as her psychiatrist, and since she's being treated for such severe anxiety, I asked him to be here when I wake her. I think it was trauma to her psyche that knocked her out, not her body. She really is fine physically, Mr. McCarty. I would suggest you take her to an OB/GYN if you're trying to have a baby, though. She should be on prenatal vitamins and look into other options for treating her anxiety," Dr. Brown explained.

"We aren't trying," I said but wasn't sure if he heard me.

He was looking at the chart and then looked up at me. "I didn't see any form of birth control on here. Did the nurses miss it?"

"No, but I'll be sure to take her in to get some," I said rubbing my face.

He seemed content with my answer and walked over to the bed, pulling out a little vial from his pocket. I heard a little pop and smelled something bad.

My girl sat up, screamed and scooted to the top of the bed. I was at her side in seconds, pulling her into my arms calming her.

"They took me. I thought they took me again," she sobbed into my shoulder.

"No, baby, there was a fire. I had to get you out." I realized my mistake. I traumatized my girl by not waking her, making her think she was getting kidnapped again.

Dr. Cullen came forward to examine her, letting her sit in my arms as he did so. "Do you have it under control, Bella? Would you like something to help you settle or do you think you can handle it?"

"Can I go home? I think I'll be fine if I can just go home. Please, just take me home," she begged me and I looked to my mother, hoping she would tell my girl what happened. I didn't want to be the one to tell her that her safe place was gone up in flames.

"Bella, sugar," my mother started, "the fire took out the apartment and the restaurant. You and Edward will be staying with me at my house while it all gets rebuilt. Do you think you can handle being there and settling down or does Carlisle need to help you out?"

My girl just started crying and so Carlisle poured her a glass of water and handed her a pill. She took it silently and after a while, she started acting a little drowsy.

"It was a little stronger than the stuff I usually give her. I didn't want to give her a shot but she needed a little more help since she's going to be adjusting to a new place this evening," he explained.

An orderly came in and I signed the final papers so we could go home. We would see what the fire damage was tomorrow.

I took Bella to my old bedroom and snuggled with her on the twin bed. My mother offered the guest bed to me but I declined. I thought Bella might relax a little better if surrounded by my stuff like she was in our apartment.

I think it worked. My mother brought us some soup thinking Bella should have something easy for her stomach and then we went to bed.

Bella had nightmares but I was able to settle her down and we eventually moved the little twin bed out from under the window to the far wall. That seemed to help. I felt like crap for setting my girl back so far. I kept trying to figure out if I would have had time to wake her, but by the time I collapsed with her on the boardwalk the stairs to our apartment were engulfed. I didn't think it would have been okay. I think we both would have been trapped and died had I not just grabbed her and ran. I squeezed my girl tighter. I never wanted to think of losing her.

My mom knocked on the door and brought in a tray of food. Okay, more like a freaking cart. My momma was having cooking withdrawals. I wouldn't be surprised if we put on some major weight while we stayed with her.

Bella stirred next to me at the smell of food.

"You didn't have to do this, Momma," I said smiling at the huge spread.

"Oh, hush, sugar. We all have our ticks. Bella's is to stay close to home and you close to her, and me, well, I like to feed people. We all have needs, dear, and as family we help each other out," she said and stuffed a pastry in my mouth.

Bella laughed and I was so relieved when I heard it. If she could laugh, then I knew she would eventually be okay. We would make it through this.

"Emmett came by this morning," she said a little nervously. "He has your bike. I had him take it to his place once I heard Bella wasn't well. He brought over the stuff you left on it. I'll bring it in."

I wasn't sure what she was talking about until she came in with the pharmacy bag and a vase of flowers. "I took the liberty of putting the flowers in some water for you," she said handing the vase to Bella.

I took the bag and let out a sigh. "We don't need these but I guess we could save them for later. Do they go bad?" I thought out loud as I pulled out a box of pregnancy tests.

I felt Bella's hand clench around my arm. Her eyes were wide in panic. I realized she didn't know. "They did a test at the hospital, baby, you're not pregnant."

She closed her eyes and tears leaked out. My mother discreetly slipped out the door. I pulled my girl into my lap. "Hey, I thought you didn't want to have a baby?"I asked.

She looked up at me smiling and laughed a little through her tears. "Is it so completely wrong of me to be happy that we're not pregnant? I mean, I shouldn't feel so relieved should I? Does that make me a bad person?"

"No, definitely not! Baby, we haven't even been married that long and there's so much going on. Heck, our place just burned down. Not to mention school and work, and you're taking pills that the doctor said you shouldn't be taking if you want to get pregnant. A baby opens up a whole new can of worms and honestly, right now I think we're up to our ears in night crawlers as it is."

"That's gross," she said squirming away from me. She picked up a piece of powdered French toast and took a bite. "You just keep your mouth shut. I'm trying to eat here."

I stuck my tongue out at her and she threw a donut hole at my head. Of course, I retaliated by attacking her with powdered sugar kisses from that pastry my mom shoved at me. We were kissing and tickling and laughing and I knew everything was going to be okay.

A/N Thanks for reading please review.


	49. Chapter 49

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.**

**Chapter 49 Uncomfortable Conversations**

**EPOV**

I had to find a way to discus birth control with Bella. I knew if we were going to experiment like she wanted that there could be risks with me getting close like last time. I didn't fully penetrate but the tip being inside of her while I released could have easily gotten her pregnant. I didn't necessarily plan on doing that again, I just knew that if it did happen again, I didn't want her to worry about getting pregnant.

Of course, this was all a moot point, as we had done nothing more than kiss and snuggle since we were staying at my mother's. Neither of us felt comfortable enough to try anything with her home. There just seemed to be something really wrong about doing stuff with your mom in the house.

"What's on your mind?" Bella asked as we snacked on our lunch or brunch or whatever my mother was calling it these days. She was just constantly pushing food at us.

"It was something the doctor said at the hospital," I started carefully, unsure how to broach the subject.

She looked a little worried. "What did he say?" She sounded scared.

"He was a little surprised you weren't on birth control." I rubbed the back of my neck not wanting to face her as I said the 'BC' word.

She let out a long sigh. I heard her shift in her seat. "I don't think I need it yet. I mean we aren't…you don't think I should, do you?" she asked a little panicked.

"NO! I mean, if you don't want to, then no. It was just, you know, that one time we were close and that's why we thought you might be." I pinched the bridge of my nose. Why was this conversation so painful?

"But we're not doing that again."

"No," I shook my head. I suddenly wanted to get up and hide from her for a while. I felt like a pervert for bringing it up. I just had one last point to make. "We didn't plan on doing that in the first place. I just, it was an accident. I don't want an accident to stop you from doing what you want," I said and decided to get the heck out of there before she smashed the carafe of orange juice over my head.

I was heading to my room when my mother called me from the front room. I went to see what she wanted and was surprised to see agent Black standing there smiling like he'd just won the lottery.

"Edward! I'm so glad to hear you're alright. I came looking for you and imagine my surprise to see that your place was burned down. I checked into that by the way. The fire marshal said the vacant place next door was vandalized and set on fire. They don't think it was an accident but don't think it was for you guys, either. The graffiti said something like 'La ragazza di ritorno'. Whatever the heck that means. Sounds like a pasta dish, but since I doubt you guys can figure it out, either..." he said waiting a moment. My mother and I both shook our heads no. "Well, then nothing to worry about. I do have some good news for you, though," he said bouncing on the balls of his feet like a silly kid. "Turns out that you called in to the tip hotline when we were looking for James, and your tip just happened to be the one that helped us catch him, so..." he said with a silly grin as he pulled something from his pocket. He unrolled a stack of little papers and flapped them at me like it was the most awesome thing I'd ever seen.

"What's that?" I asked looking at the odd flopping papers.

"This is your reward money. The tip you gave us that led to the capture of James solved six missing person's cases. The tracking and evidence we had been building against him made it an open and shut case. He didn't even bother to plead not guilty, so you earned the reward from six missing person's cases," he said slapping the checks into my hands.

How could he speak so jovially about the deaths of six people? Tanya was almost number seven. I was sure my mother would have contributed to her reward money if she was never found. I felt sick. I wanted to vomit. This was blood money if I ever saw it.

My mother saw my green face as I looked down at the checks in my hand. The one on top was for fifty thousand dollars.

"Edward, dear, why don't you go get Bella and let her know agent Black has come to visit?" she said pulling Jake into the kitchen.

I didn't want to hold these checks any longer and quickly set them on the little side table by the front door. I hurried out the back door gasping for air and then fell to my knees.  
"Edward?" I heard Bella call to me worried. "Are you alright?"

I laughed blackly and shook my head no. "Jacob is here. In the kitchen."

I felt her stiffen and then quickly push herself into my arms. I felt like a jerk. I realized now she thought he was here because of her case but that was not why. "It's just a social visit," I said cupping her face, pleading with her to calm down. I didn't have it in me to comfort her the way she needed at the moment.

She nodded okay. "Why are you so…upset," she finally asked.

I shook my head at her. "I don't have a good reason. It's good news really. It just doesn't feel like it. Go say hello to him before mom stuffs him full of pastries. We don't want him becoming a cliché now do we?" I teased.

She looked at me worried, still not convinced, and kissed my forehead before she went inside.

I cooled down and was able to make it back inside, thankful that Jake's mouth was stuffed with food and unable to speak. My mother was going on and on about how much time it was going to take to redo the restaurant and how she was worried that the insurance would not cover the cost of keeping her employees paid until they were up and running again.

"You know, you should expand," Jake said with his mouth full of food, further cementing he was an uncouth animal.

"Expand?" mom asked.

"Yeah," Jake hummed though his donut. He took a drink of milk and nearly swallowed it whole. "The place next door where the fire started, they're not repairing it. They're just going to sell it. I'll bet you can get a good deal on it. I mean if Edward helped you out. He has close to three hundred thousand dollars in reward money," Jake blurted out.

"What?" Bella snapped looking at me.

"Didn't he tell you the good news? He called in to the tip line when he realized who James was. When we captured and convicted James, Edward's tip actually helped solved six murders. He has a mess of reward money!" Jake said excitedly. "I'll bet he can send you to any college you want to go to now."

Her eyes landed on me and she gave me a soft worried smile. I pulled her into my arms and buried my nose in her hair, breathing her in.

"You guys should buy a house, too. I'm sure you could get something decent if you wanted," Jake went on oblivious to our discomfort.

My mother shoved another pastry at him and changed the subject. "How's the search for Bella's little friend, Tatiana, coming?"

Jake grimaced and swallowed hard again. I swear, did the oaf chew? He rubbed his neck and shifted in his seat. "We've tracked her to a holding place in Columbia."

"Columbia?" Bella asked shocked.

He shrugged. "That's where sources say Marcus's brothers are. They've taken over any of his… property," Jake grimaced at the last word. "It's difficult to determine her position there, Bells. She isn't locked up, but she is abused. We don't know if she's there on her own or…"

"She was taken like I was! She was kept because Marcus liked her! She was raped over and over and did all she could to save me," she shouted at him her whole body shaking in anger. "GET HER OUT NOW!" she yelled pointing at the door. Jake just got up and nodded.

Good thing. I would have hated to hit an officer of the law. I couldn't believe he'd upset my girl like that. Once Jake was out of sight, she collapsed in my arms sobbing. I carried her to our room and tucked her in. "I've got you. They'll find her. I'll be sure of it," I promised. I would get her friend back, even if I had to buy her myself.

A/N So I hope that explains the pregnancy scare. I know some of you were confused about it. No they did not have sex, just got close. Thanks for reading please review.


	50. Chapter 50

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it!**

Chapter 50 – Growing Pains

As much as I hated to admit it, Jake was right. If my mom wanted to expand, doing it now would be the best time to do it. I went ahead and invested most of the reward money into the restaurant expansion and also the rebuilding our apartment. Since we would have the space over two buildings to span, our living quarters could be much larger. My mother finally convinced me that four bedrooms and three baths would be the way to go, along with a small den for Bella to work. All together we were adding another thousand plus square feet to our place, more than doubling its size.

We decided to install an interior stairwell and a service elevator to the upstairs, as well as a good sturdy metal fire escape for obvious reasons. We were also going to use a small section of the new downstairs space to build out an office for Bella so she could set up her accounting business when she was ready. She wouldn't need much, leaving a generous amount for the restaurant expansion.

Our insurance had been excellent and was paying for most of the rebuild, but to stretch the budget and help us kill time, we were doing a lot of the finish out work ourselves. The painting and installing plugs and light fixtures was easy enough. Emmett helped me lay the flooring, install the counters, and put up the cabinets. It felt good to do it ourselves, like we had a real sweat and blood stake in the place.

The girls seemed to enjoy watching us work as well. I had to admit, I liked the way Bella was looking at me lately, even though we seemed to be on a sort of affection hiatus. Her eyes seemed to linger on me longer than normal, which caused Emmett to make lewd comments and Rose to laugh at Bella's blushing. I was nervous about trying anything else, though, considering she didn't want to be on birth control. She hadn't initiated anything more, either, so I was just letting it be.

Bella was actually enjoying helping my mother pick out colors and such for the floors, walls, and counters, and for the table tops and booths as well. The whole place was going to get a completely new look. She was excited as she poured over office supply catalogs, pointing out the types of furniture and accessories she liked for her new office.

"Do you think something like this would look good with the carpet we ordered?" she asked as she showed me a set of desks, tables, and wooden file cabinets in a nice dark tone. "I'm sure there's probably a used office furniture place around here that would have something similar." It was so good to see her excited and planning for the future here.

"I think it would look great. Actually, you would look perfect around anything," I said and went to kiss her. She turned her cheek to me, letting me kiss her there before she buried her nose back in the catalog. I sat there a moment confused, still watching her when I heard the doorbell.

Jessup brought the mail over to us himself to see how we were doing. "Edward, how's it going?" he said handing me a stack of envelopes. "Everything on schedule with the rebuild?"

"We're good. So far everything's right on schedule, Jessup. How's Ms. Tanya?" I asked.

"Guess you haven't heard the good news. I popped the question and she said yes! Can you believe it? She's everything to me, Edward. I know it seems kind of fast, but she's the one, you know? I can't wait for your momma to make us a wedding cake. I know it'll be the best," he said grinning broadly.

"Well, congratulations to you both. I'm sure you'll be very happy together. Ms. Tanya is a nice lady and seems quite taken with you. You just let my momma know the date for the wedding and I'm sure she'll fix you up an extra special cake, okay?" I said and Jessup grinned even bigger, nodding excitedly.

I was a little surprised but he and Tanya had both been seeing Dr. Cullen since her rescue and things between them had been wonderful. Tanya had informed me that Dr. Cullen prescribed Jessup some anti-hallucinogens and his paranoia had subsided greatly. I had to admit, Jessup seemed pretty normal now that his mild schizophrenia was under control. He was obviously happy as he waved goodbye with a cheeky grin still plastered to his face.

I looked through the mail and noticed something that would put a smile on my girl's face.

"You have mail, love," I said and handed her the envelope from HGT. I was sure it was an acceptance letter. She nervously opened the envelope and proved me right as she squealed with excitement.

"So, my little co-ed, are you ready to get started?" I asked and she grinned widely and pulled up the college's website, entering her account information and then signing up for a full load of online classes. It felt good to see her excited smile as I handed her my card so she could type in the tuition payment information. Everything seemed to be looking up, but after our bad stint of luck, I was still nervous.

My mom said I was being silly. Apparently, bad things happened to people in threes, so the men going after Bella and Rose would be the first, Tanya being taken was the second, and the fire at our place was the third. Momma said we were in the clear for good luck for a while, but I still couldn't shake that feeling that we weren't totally in the clear just yet.

A new Italian restaurant opened up not far from where ours was. We weren't worried about it yet because we weren't up and running, but I didn't like the looks of some of the people working there, which I expressed to my momma.

"I don't know, Mom. Something about them just doesn't sit right," I said, that alone making me want to stay home. Ever since all the craziness had happened around here, I had been a bit on the edgy side, looking for any trouble, basically just waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak.

"There's nothing to worry about, Edward. They seem really nice once you get to know them, and the food is really good. Besides, the area could use all the good, stable businesses we can get here to boost the local economy. It's good for everyone," Carlisle said, ever the optimist. He and my mother had gone to eat there a few times. She didn't see them as competition because we specialized in downhome southern cuisine and pastries. They specialized in Italian food and whatever else went with it. Bread, I guess. I was not Italian so how would I know.

"Maybe, but I'm still keeping an eye on them. I don't know what it is, maybe I've just become paranoid about there being bad guys around every corner, but there's legitimately been enough of them lately that I'm not taking anything, or any feeling, for granted anymore," I said, still firm in my resolve that these people warranted scrutiny.

My mom patted my cheek. "Fair enough, dear."

Living with my mom had been a mixed bag, mostly good, but we were grateful for my mom's offer. Our home would not be ready until around the time I got back from my run in September. I really didn't want to go but Bella insisted she would be fine with my mother. They did get along very well. In fact, Bella had been spending a lot more time with my mom and seemed to be becoming increasingly attached to her as time went on, spending even more time with her than with me as of late. I was glad to know she had my mom to lean on, but I missed our alone times and our privacy.

Jake called to let us know that contact with Tatiana had been made but she'd said she didn't wish to leave. Bella refused to believe him and I had to say, as easily as he gave up on Tanya's case, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a lot he wasn't doing to get the whole story. Hearing her friend was still being abused upset Bella greatly.

My girl was depressed, but her classes started and she was too busy to sulk and fret too much about her friend. I was worried because she was throwing herself into her classwork and spoke very little to anyone. When I asked Carlisle if she was alright, he said that she was working through some stuff and would be fine with time.

The thing was, time was running out. I would be leaving in the spring and I was going to miss her. I didn't want to leave her like this, but anytime I asked to stay, she would get upset and insist I had to go, something about not wanting to mess up my life. I guessed she didn't understand that she wasn't messing anything up for me. I just missed her.

Captain Towers came and found me. It was time to interview crew mates. We were able to keep most of the men from our last run but a few new ones needed to be picked. I didn't want to go but ended up accepting his offer at Bella's insistence. He asked how my wife was doing and I said she was doing much better and would be staying with my mother while she went to school. I didn't mention how badly I didn't want to go. He probably would have teased me about being spoiled to having Bella there to clean up after me like on our last run. I didn't need any reminders of what I'd be missing.

We talked shortly with applicants, and then hired the three men we needed. We then routed our five runs, planning to return at the end of September. I would miss my Bella's birthday, but maybe we could celebrate when I got home. I hoped she would feel like celebrating. I needed her to be okay with me being gone just as much as I needed her to miss me. I knew I would be miserable without her.

It had been a little over a month after the fire when we got an aggravated call from Charlie and Renee. Chief Swan was ready to come after me again. Word about the fire had not reached them so they were freaking out when the two numbers they had for our apartment and the restaurant were not working. Bella talked them down and let them know everything was fine and we were safe. She also got them to settle down some more when she told them about the guestroom that she was decorating for them to use when they came to visit us. My momma had mentioned fixing up one of the rooms as a nursery for Bella's new baby brother for when they visited, but I wasn't so sure about that. I think my momma was just angling to get the idea of grandbabies planted in our heads, maybe hoping all that cute baby stuff would work some kind of fertility mojo on us. Not likely!

It was well into March when Bella's father called to let her know that her mother was carrying a little boy. I think we were all excited about that. Bella even perked up and talked about how Charlie was probably going crazy buying a ton of mini fishing gear and pint-sized sporting paraphernalia. Better him than me.

Things started looking up again; at least it seemed like it. Bella was preoccupied with her schooling but spoke with her mother frequently as well. She was excited for her little brother's arrival and so was everyone else. My momma had knitted a blanket, hat, booties, and something called scratch mits for him. Hearing about all this baby stuff just confirmed for me how ill prepared I was to even consider having one. I was so glad we were waiting.

We did eventually move the full size bed that was in the guest room into my bedroom. It seemed to fit us a little better, but I couldn't get lost on it like Bella said I did on the king. I didn't mind being close with my girl, God only knew how much I enjoyed kissing her and having her in my arms, but she hadn't been terribly responsive or affectionate as of late and I could feel that something was definitely wrong between us.

I just didn't know what it was.

**A/N: Thanks for reading and please review!**


	51. Chapter 51

SM owns it Dollybigmomma rock it and I just write it.

Chapter 51 – a pill for that

I was scheduled to ship out in four weeks. Bella was nose deep in school work and I was helping my mom put the finishing touches on the restaurant. It would be up and running before I left. I was looking forward to seeing it remodeled. Our apartment would be the next highest on the priorities list and then the office for Bella to do her accounting business when she was finally done with school.

She was excited to see her dream become a reality. I was happy she was happy about that. She still was being distant and I finally asked her if I'd done something wrong. She just burst into tears and ran to the bathroom. I didn't know if that meant yes or no. I decided I had better get her some flowers just to be safe.

When I came back, she was fast asleep. I put the flowers in a vase my momma gave her and snuggled up next to her. In her sleep, she was still snuggly and affectionate. I pulled her to me and she nearly climbed on top of me and wiggled down, rubbing against things that shouldn't be rubbed when she wasn't happy with me.

I tried to let it go and go to sleep but I had to admit, my body was reacting by the time I dozed off. The dream I was having was good. Really good. My wife still wanted me. I told her that I loved her and I missed her so much as she worked me over. She told me that she missed and loved me, too. I felt something dripping on my face and woke up to my girl's tears dripping down on me.

I panicked for a moment, worried that I had done something to upset or hurt her, but she reassured me she was fine. "I've missed you, too, so much," she whimpered and threw herself into my arms. I hugged her like there was no tomorrow, relieved that she still loved me.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what I did to upset you but if you tell me, I swear never to do it again," I promised.

She sniffled and shook her head. "It wasn't you."

I looked at her sternly. "Okay, a little you. I was kind of freaked out about you asking me about birth control," she whispered the last part. "I mean if I get on that, it's a given we'll have sex, right? I just don't think I'm ready and I don't want to disappoint you," she said timidly.

I pulled her face up so she was looking at me. "It means nothing. I will never do anything you're not ready for, sweetheart. Never. We're not having sex until you're absolutely sure. Do you understand? If you ever feel like I'm pressuring you, please tell me so I can reassure you that I'm fine with waiting."

She sniffled and nodded her head okay.

"Is that why you've been so distant?" I asked kicking myself for not fixing this sooner.

She shook her head no. "I'm trying to get used to you being gone. I'm scared I'm not going to be able to handle it," she whispered. "If I have a nervous breakdown or something," she took a deep breath and looked into my eyes, "while you're gone, Dr. Cullen will put me in a mental hospital and I don't know if I can handle that."

I quickly pulled her up into my arms, kissing her head. "Never. I'll never let that happen. Momma is under strict orders to call me if things get too rough for you. I can always catch a flight home from wherever we dock and I'll come take care of you."

She looked at me sadly. "You shouldn't have to drop everything to come take care of me."

"You're my wife. I'm not dropping everything because you're the only thing I hold onto. Nothing is more important than you," I said with conviction. She needed to understand that she would always come first.

She let out a shuddering breath. "I'm going to do my best to be okay. I'm sorry if it hurt you. I'm just trying to get some independence so I can handle when you're really gone."

"Does it make me a selfish jerk because I wish you wouldn't not need me?" She smiled and kissed my lips softly. "I think our rolls are reversing. I think I need you more lately than the other way around," I said with a pout.

She giggled and snuggled against me. "That's good to know."

We spent the rest of the day in bed talking and reconnecting. I let her know that I never wanted her to distance herself from me like that again. It was okay to be busy but not okay to be distant. There was a difference and I couldn't handle the distant one.

We discussed different ways to contact each other while I was onboard. I also gave her the addresses of ports we would be stopping in and where I could get mail from her. She hoped that she could talk with me on a phone and through the internet, but reception was choppy at best at sea. There weren't many cell towers that covered the ocean so it could be hit or miss. When we got up closer to land, though, we should be able to talk more.

I really didn't want to leave her. I kept hoping she would change her mind but she insisted it would be good for both of us. I didn't see how it would be. I didn't see anything good coming from me not sleeping next to her every night. In fact, I saw a lot of sleepless nights ahead of me. Honestly, there was a side of me that hoped she would break down and beg me to stay or come back. I wondered if Dr. Cullen had a pill for that.

Last I checked there wasn't a cure for homesickness other than going home. I was feeling it and I hadn't even left yet.

I continued to keep an eye on the people down at the new Italian restaurant. I even went in for lunch a couple of times just to check the place out. It wasn't anything fancy; it just looked like they had brought in some simple restaurant surplus tables and chairs, done a minimalistic décor, and offered a very limited menu. The food they did serve was good but nothing special. It made me feel better knowing their offerings wouldn't be much competition to my momma's amazing southern cooking. All the employees had thick Italian accents which I found curious. Maybe they were just going for authenticity.

I didn't have too much time to think on it because Emmett had been acting weird lately. I wasn't sure what was up with him but I figured it probably had something to do with the extreme bible hour mamma had been imposing on us. She had been breaking out the scriptures at breakfast and there was no way to get around hearing the good word unless you were eating something crunching.

Bella didn't seem to care one way or the other but Emmett just looked down right in pain as he listened to her read. I wonder if it had to do with his guilty conscious. She had been pushing him to marry Rose. Fornicating was a sin and all and she wanted him to rectify it. I had a feeling Rose would be all for it as well. He just had to get the courage up to ask her.

A/N sorry it is so short. It is spring break and Dollybigmomma is at my house to play! Sorry for the goofing off. Thanks for reading, please review.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52 –

Dr. Cullen came for dinner at our house to celebrate the opening of the new restaurant. We were set to open this upcoming weekend. I'd gotten used to seeing the gentle touches Carlisle would give my momma, but I was happy to find out that Emmett was wrong. She was in a serious relationship with him, but not a sexual relationship. She was holding out until they were married, and Bella suspected that Carlisle was going to ask her soon.

We were just sitting down to dinner when the phone rang. I didn't recognize the area code, but Bella said it was a Washington exchange, most likely Seattle. I left the table to answer the call and deep voice introduced himself as Billy Black.

"Are you agent Black's father by any chance?" I asked.

"Yes, I am, and unfortunately I have some very bad news. Bella's parents were in a serious auto accident this morning. They're both alive, but Bella's mother sustained catastrophic head trauma. She's on life support, but she's considered brain dead. They're attempting to keep her alive to sustain the baby until he can be delivered viably," Billy said sadly.

"No," I gasped. "What about Charlie?"

"Charlie's injuries are serious but not life threatening. He's going to have to retire as chief of police, though, and he'll need extensive physical therapy to recover." Billy explained the rest of what happened and gave me the hospital information.

"Is there any hope for Renee at all?" I asked.

"It doesn't look that way according to the doctors. The damage to her brain was extensive and it's not showing any activity. They said it's a miracle she didn't die instantly. Once the baby's born, Charlie has already authorized them to remove her from life support."

I thanked him for letting us know and he promised to contact us if anything changed.

"Please give Bella my love and condolences on her mother's condition. Charlie's my best friend, so let me know if I can do anything to help," he said before we hung up.

I called Carlisle into the kitchen to tell him what had happened and that I was going to need his help in telling Bella about her mother. This was not something I wanted to do. Carlisle agreed to break the bad news to Bella for me.

The sorrow seemed to radiate from our very beings as we entered the dining room. Everyone fell silent, gazing at us worried, knowing what was coming was not going to be good.

I pulled Bella into my lap and nodded to Carlisle, letting him know he could go ahead. He calmly relayed what I had told him, explaining that there had been an accident, and that Charlie was hurt badly but would live. Bella was holding her breath, waiting for his final words regarding her mother. He took a deep breath and broke the horrible news of her mother's condition. She crumbled in my arms. My mother hugged us both and said she would arrange plane tickets for us to go to Washington immediately.

My heart broke for my Bella. I knew how life-changing losing a parent would be for her. Our celebration for the restaurant was cut short as we all rushed to pack and then left to catch the next flight to Washington. Bella was near catatonic. Shortly before we boarded the plane, Carlisle gave her something to help her sleep.

I couldn't imagine what Charlie was going through right now. Just the thought of losing Bella crushed me. I really didn't want to leave on the ship now. I called Captain Towers from the Seattle Airport and quietly explained what had happened. He said he would adjust the departure date to squeeze in another two weeks of home time, giving me a month with my girl but I didn't know if that would be enough.

We arrived at the hospital around six o'clock the next morning after flying all night. We were exhausted but Bella wanted to be there for her father. Carlisle took my mom and our luggage to check into our hotel. Bella's family had been in such serious condition that they had life-flighted them out of Forks to Seattle Grace hospital.

The visiting hours were not until 8:00 a.m. but the nurse said she would get the doctors to come talk to us and give us the latest updates. The OB/GYN came in first. Apparently, he had been there delivering a baby and had just finished. He had a broad smile that seemed so out of place.

"Mrs. McCarty?" he asked in to jovial a tone.

"Yes," I answered for Bella.

"Well, it looks like your little brother is fine. It's just a matter of getting him as close to the end of the third trimester, and I don't see any complication with that as long as your mother holds out. I do understand that your father has had extensive limb damage and will need help caring for the child. Would you or someone you know be willing to take charge of the baby? I don't believe your father will be in any shape to care for himself, much less a new born," he said with very little concern for my wife's feelings. I wanted to hit him.

My girl just looked at me and I nodded yes. There was no way we were turning out family. We would have to see about moving Charlie in with us as well. I was suddenly thankful we added a service elevator to our new apartment.

"We'll be taking care of both of them. They'll be coming home with us when they're released," I said firmly.

Bella looked up at me gratefully and hugged me tightly. I kissed her head trying to convey my commitment to this. We would take care of her family. There was never any question of it for me.

Renee's doctor came out shortly thereafter and said the same thing Billy had told us over the phone. There really was no hope. They were just keeping her alive to care for the baby inside of her.

Charlie's doctor came out looking haggard but smiled. "His extensive operations have gone well. I was able to save his leg and arm but they'll have limited mobility for some time. He'll need a good year of physical therapy before he can use them. He's going to have to learn to write and eat with his left hand. It isn't his dominate one so it's probably going to be very frustrating for him. He's never going to have enough fine motor skills in his right hand to manipulate a pencil to write again. He should be able to grab things with it after some physical therapy exercises. We have to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't develop any infections, but once his leg and arm are physically healed and he's safe from developing infection, he should be able to go home."

"How long is that going to take?" I asked.

"Probably a good six weeks, as we had to reattach a large portion of both limbs. We need to be sure that there's good circulation going in both of them as well. It's vital to the healing process," the doctor explained.

"When can we see him?" I asked.

The doctor looked at his watch. "I can take you back now."

We followed him down the cold white halls into the hospital room. Charlie was wrapped up pretty tight in white gauze and strapped down so he couldn't move.

"He's under the influence of some heavy muscle relaxers. It's vital at this time to keep him from moving or even attempting to flex his muscles in the reattached limbs. You can talk with him but he won't be waking up for a while.

My girl had tears streaming down her face. I could see her crumbling and caught her in my arms, pulling her over to a chair and holding her in my arms. I kissed her head, whispering in her ear that he was going to be fine, reminding her that she hadn't lost her father, that he was just resting to heal. I held her until she cried herself to sleep in my arms exhausted and I moved us to the little couch in the room and lay down with her. I was exhausted as well.

I didn't know how I could even consider leaving her now.


	53. Chapter 53

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 53 All of Me

My mother helped me arrange to have Charlie and Renee moved to hospitals nearby. They had to be flown here on medical jets, taking up the last little bit of reward money I had. I called Captain Towers, updating him on the condition of Bella's family. I didn't know how she would handle me leaving but at this point, we really were going to need the money if we were going to be caring for little CJ as Bella had been calling him. Also, the care of Renee and Charlie themselves would cost a small fortune. Charlie would have to go on disability because at this point, there was absolutely no way for him to work.

Momma cleaned up the guest room and put my twin bed in it for Charlie. Our place wasn't going to be ready until after I returned in September. I hoped with her father and my mother keeping her busy, Bella would be alright. She seemed to settle down a little when we prepared Charlie's room for him. I figured seeing her father coming home alive would help put her mind at ease.

I spoke with Momma to make sure she could handle taking care of my family while I was away and she promised me she would. I knew she would see them as her own family as well. Carlisle was over daily, moving furniture and helping get things arranged so Charlie could get around in his wheelchair. He had to have a power one as he needed to take it easy on his one arm.

My mother and Bella started pulling some of mine and Emmett's old baby things out of storage. She had a cradle for Bella to put little Charlie Junior in. My father had made it for me and she kept it and used it when Emmett was born as well. The heavy wood was sturdy and would be perfect for the baby. I just needed to sand and refinish the cradle so it was fresh and clean for him.

We decided on holding off on buying the big baby things like the crib until I returned from my run and I could help pick it out. Momma insisted I be involved, as the stuff we bought for little Charlie would eventually be for our children as well.

In the midst of all of this, Bella continued to do her school work. I was truly amazed that she was still pulling that off. She didn't want the money to go to waste. I had already prepared financially for the summer semester as well as the fall since I was going to be gone all summer and would also be missing the start of the fall one. I didn't want her missing out.

Momma promised me that she would help her out with the baby and Charlie so Bella could continue to take all her classes. I didn't care so much about the money going to waste, but I didn't want her dream going to waste. I really didn't want this to stop her from getting what she wanted in life.

We finally had things set and it was only two days until I shipped out. I was antsy and ready to tell Captain Towers I couldn't go but again, we really were in need of the money. Taking care of her parents and then her brother was really going to drain us financially. I just didn't see a way around it.

"What has you all worried looking?" my Bella asked.

"I don't want to leave you," I admitted.

She smiled softly and pulled me over to the bed. We snuggled up and she kissed my lips. "I don't want you to have to go but you need to do this. We need you to go. I've seen the bank statements, Edward. Even with my father's disability, we're going to be tight. I know Esme is helping with the baby stuff, but when I looked online at the list of things we'll need to buy, there's just no way we can do it. Maybe if I drop out of school and get a refund…"

"NO!" I cut her off. "That is not an option. I'll go and you will go to school." I pulled her tightly into my arms, kissing her forehead so she knew I wasn't upset. "I don't want you to even think about giving up what you want. I'll find a way to make it work. I just don't want you to struggle while I'm gone. If you need me, you call me, understand?" I said looking her straight in the eyes.

She let out a sigh. '"Well, at least this year you won't be gone as long, and I'll have Esme, Charlie and CJ to keep me busy."

"I'm sorry I can't be here for you. I want to be here for you. You know that, right?" I asked worried that she didn't know how much I truly loved her.

"I know." She leaned up and kissed me. I took a chance and deepened the kiss. I rejoiced a little when she let me and deepened it even more herself. She pulled back panting with sparkling eyes and dove into my lips for a second go at them.

"I love you," she whispered.

My heart swelled. "Oh, baby, I love you, too. So much, I hope you know that."

"I do, Edward, I don't know what I did in heaven to deserve you but I'm so glad I did it. I don't know what I would do without you. Even with you leaving, I know that you'll still come back to me. You're still mine."

"I am baby, I'm only yours." She cut me off by kissing me again, straddling me and grinding against me. This was the first time since we had moved in with my mother that she had initiated anything this serious. I didn't want to push her, but I knew I would love to do something intimate with her before I left.

She pulled her shirt off, only breaking from the kiss to pull it over her head and then dove back into my lips again. My hands quickly wove into her hair, loving the feel of it between my fingers. I figured that her hair was safe to touch. She started pulling on my shirt, so I pulled it off. She moved down my neck, kissing my chest, slowly licking and nipping my skin. I was going to come any moment, I could feel it. She was still moving against me but not as hard as she had been when she was sitting on me.

I was surprised to feel her moving to my jeans. When she popped my button, I moaned and bucked. She giggled in response and unhooked her bra. I was throbbing at that point. I didn't know if I could hold out much longer. It seemed like such a long time since I had gotten off.

She made her way up to my lips and whispered, "You can touch them."

I was hoping she was talking about her breasts because that was really what I wanted to touch. I slowly grabbed her waist and moved my hand up her side, carefully watching her face the whole time. I brushed my thumb under her breast, feeling the soft skin and she smiled at me wider. I carefully moved my thumb up toward the nipple and when my finger ran over it, she moaned.

I froze for a moment but saw that she liked it and did it again. She started kissing me again and held my hand to her breast, reaching for my left hand to grab her other one as well. She started grinding down on me hard and I ended up coming in my pants. She didn't seem to mind or stop either. She road me and I pinched her nipples to help her get off. She orgasmed in my arms and I was glad I was the one that could make her feel that.

We snuggled in bed for a moment until she shifted and kicked her pants off, leaving her in just panties. I told her I needed to go get cleaned up, but she stopped me, telling me to stay where I was. She grabbed her robe and ran to our bathroom down the hall. She returned with a wet warm washcloth and wiped me down. She touched my cock and rubbed it and before I knew it, I was hard again. She gripped it and stroked it, moaning just as hard as me. She seemed to really like touching me like this. I really liked having her touch me as well.

I finally sat up and started kissing her. I needed to feel her against my skin. Her breasts pressed up against my chest and I pinched one lightly, causing her to jump in my lap and drop her robe.

I stopped shocked. She was naked. I was naked. We were naked! She must have taken her panties off when she went to the bathroom. Her warm wet flesh was pressed against me, causing me to nearly lose it. I wanted her so bad. I was so close to having her. I tried to settle myself down, remembering how scared she had been last time this had happened.

"I want you," she moaned as she kissed me.

I squeezed her perfect backside, forcing myself to hold still and not buck up inside of her. I wanted to so badly.

"Do you want me, Edward?" she asked, suddenly timid.

I pulled her lips to mine. "Always, I'll always want you and only you," I promised her. "I love you, Bella," I whispered against her lips as she rubbed her soft flesh against me.

"I want you, I want all of you," she said nipping at my neck and suddenly rubbing against my cock with more vigor. I grabbed her hips to slow her down. I didn't want her to do anything she would regret or be upset about. I kissed her softly, letting her know that we didn't have to do this, but she deepened it again.

"Bella," I said firmly, "Please, baby, you're making it difficult for me not to..." I moaned unable to finish my plea.

"I'm not going to wait anymore. I almost lost my family, Edward. Marcus is dead, his goons are in jail. I don't want you to leave without taking part of me with you."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I don't want to miss out on doing this with you," she whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Anything can happen in life. No one knows how much time we have on earth. I don't want to waste any more of it, Edward. I don't want to waste another second of it being too afraid to love you completely. You have me completely and it's time I let you claim it, Edward. I'm yours," she said firmly.

I leaned in kissing her again, but this time I wasn't going to stop. She was mine. She was my wife, my lover, my life. I would give her anything she wanted, and as she gave me what I had waited so long for, I knew I would always be hers completely.

A/N sorry it is short and I missed yesterdays update but Dolly is still playing at my house. I swear we will get back to work next week. Thanks for reading please review.


	54. Chapter 54

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it! I miss you lady! I wrote this and chapter 53 a couple days ago but fan fic is giving me and I am guessing everyone else crap because no one is updating! Talk about withdrawals! So I am posting both chapters and working on 55. I hope you can get them!

Chapter 54 Momma Knows Best

I pulled Bella into my arms tighter, not wanting to leave her side even though my bladder was screaming at me this morning. She let me take her last night. I had my wife for the first time and even though it wasn't everything they said it was in the movies, it was still perfect because it was with my wife.

She had gasped in pain and squinted her eyes but I stopped immediately, worried that it hurt too much for her. I kissed her face all over and she smiled up at me, claiming my lips. They were hers; I was hers, all of me. She regulated her breathing and I felt her relax around me minutely. "Go ahead," she whispered.

"Are you sure you're okay? We don't have to," I said breathing a little hard as I held my body still. I had never done this but my instincts had kicked into overdrive. I wanted to pump my body in and out of hers like there was no tomorrow, but I refused to let myself move until I knew she was really okay, and then I would force myself to be gentle with her.

"Yes, please, Edward, I want you," she begged me and I pushed forward slowly.

"Faster. Like a band-aid," she gritted out.

I hated that I was hurting her. I pushed forward quickly, seating myself deep inside of her. She had cried out in pain and I stopped again, holding still and looking down at her. Breathing in deeply again, I felt her start to relax around me. I kissed her face softly. "Let me know if you're ready or if you want me to stop. I'll just sit here and wait for you."

Her body was softer than anything I had ever felt and moist, gripping me tightly. I could feel her insides flex as she tried to relax them and accept me into her. After a few moments, she told me I could move. I pumped a few times and came on the fifth heavenly stroke. I felt bad I didn't get her off, but she pulled me down into her arms and kissed me.

"Sorry," I grunted, "I've never…I mean, I don't know how to last and you just feel really, really good," I groaned.

I carefully pulled out, cringing when I saw the blood and felt the loss of our closeness. I grabbed for the washcloth she had used on me and carefully dabbed her clean, a little relieved that it was cold because I was sure if it was warm like when she had used it on me, it would have hurt her more. I kissed her tummy and looked up into her eyes. "Are you okay? Do I need to get you some Tylenol or something?"

She smiled and shook her head no. "I took some ibuprofen when I went to the bathroom earlier." I looked at her worried. "Alice said it would help ease the pain and swelling if it was already in my system."

"Oh," was my genius response because what did you say to that? I should have thought of that. I should have looked into this before I did it, so I would know what to do for her pain and swelling. My insides cringed.

"Edward?" she said my name worried, cupping my face.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you," I whispered.

She just smiled. "I'm not, and next time it won't hurt so much. I hear that sometimes it actually can feel really good," she teased.

I leaned over and kissed her softly. "Thank you. You felt amazing. I'm sorry I couldn't make it good for you."

"You love me, that was all I needed. We'll learn together. I didn't expect fireworks, Edward. We're both figuring this out together and I love that. I love that I'm your first and last."

I pulled her tightly too me, needing to feel her skin against mine as I kissed her. "Yours, only yours ever, Bella, you're the only one I'll ever want."

She looked up into my eyes to see if I was sincere and I was. I hoped that she saw that. She must have because she smiled and snuggled impossibly tighter into me.

That was how we fell asleep and now this morning, I didn't want to move her or leave her. I just wanted to stay here holding her for the rest of my life, content with her by my side. I loved her. I knew I loved her for a while now and I knew she loved me, making what we did so much more special. I didn't want to leave. I pulled her even closer and she groaned a little. I worried that I'd hurt her and loosened my hold. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at me.

"You okay?" I asked worried that I had squeezed her to tight.

"Yeah, I'm just about perfect," she said in her soft morning voice.

"Just about?" I wanted to know how to make it perfect.

She nodded and pulled out of my arms even though I pouted in protest. She smiled and leaned over kissing me softly. "Give me a minute," she said grabbing her robe and walking out.  
I could either sit here and pout, or I could quickly go pee and try and beat her back to the room and revel in the feel of her in my arms the rest of the day.

I grabbed my robe and ran to the bathroom just off the kitchen. My momma called "Morning, sugar," after me.

I hollered back, "Morning, Momma!" as I shut the bathroom door.

I peed as fast as I could and grabbed the toothpaste in the cabinet. I washed my hands and scrubbed my teeth and tongue using my finger so I didn't have morning breath. I started back to the bedroom but my momma stopped me, smiling too big. Did she hear what we had done last night? I really hoped that she didn't. I knew Bella would be even more mortified than I was.

"Take yourself this tray of muffins and milk for your girl, baby. You need to take good care of her," she smiled knowingly, pushing it into my hands. "Eat the fruit first, the muffins should last you the rest of the day. I assume you two are spending the day alone?" she asking grinning. I wasn't sure how to answer but I didn't have to. "I'm going over to Carlisle's house, honey, so relax and enjoy the time you have left with your wife. I'll call and let you know about dinner," she said kissing my cheek and then walked out of the kitchen. I watched as she grabbed her purse and went out the front door.

I nearly ran into Bella as she came out of the bathroom door. She giggled and smiled as she saw the tray in my hand. "Momma said we can have the house alone today, she left for Carlisle's." I cursed the tray in my hand wishing I could pull her to me.

She picked a berry off the tray and smiled, walking toward our room. She dropped her robe as she stepped through the door and looked back at me over her shoulder. I wanted to throw the tray over my shoulder and run to her but I figured I had better bring the food with me.

We were going to need it.

A/N Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	55. Chapter 55

SM owns it Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it and shake my fist at the Fan fic web site for not letting me post it!

Chapter 55 Leading the Lamb

I couldn't help but wonder just for a moment if maybe we should have waited until I came back to consummate our relationship because now that I knew what I would be missing, I was going to be miserable, and uncomfortable. Making love to my wife was beautiful and sweet, not to mention addicting. I not only received the release of an orgasm, but I felt closer to her and accepted by her completely. I was hers completely and she knew it. I knew she was mine as well. I had always heard that having sex was an intimate act but I had always assumed that was because two people were naked. I knew now that wasn't the case. It was intimate because of the emotions exchanged during the act and the level of connection that was reached between us. She was beautiful when she fully surrendered to me. It amazed me. She was mine and I wanted to keep her. I didn't want to go.

The shrill of the phone reminded me there was a world outside and I would eventually have to leave her going out into it. My mother called telling me that we were all going to be eating at the new Italian restaurant. She wanted to relax and knew that wouldn't happen in her place. I knew my mom, if we ate at the restaurant, she would end up in the kitchen adjusting the recipes. Even if they tasted fine, she would just have to get in there and do something. That was just how she was.

I relayed the plans to Bella and she gave me a sad soft smile. Tears were brimming in her eyes and I knew she knew I would be leaving soon and this dinner out was just the beginning of goodbye. I pulled her back into my arms tightly, holding her to me. It was all I could do to keep from crying myself.

"I love you," I said with conviction. I hoped she never would forget that. Heck, that was the whole reason I was leaving. I loved her and I knew we needed to care for her family. She sobbed softly into my shoulder for a moment before she squirmed out of my arms and pulled me by the hand out of our room to the bathroom. She kissed me softly while we waited for the water to heat up and I held on to her, wishing there was more than tomorrow left.

What the hell was I thinking? I couldn't leave her. Maybe I could still get a factory job at the textile plant. I wished I could, but the truth of the matter was it was too late to leave Captain Towers without a first mate, and the textile plant hadn't been doing all that well. There had been rumors of it shutting down. They cut everyone's hours back. Heck, Emmett had been working more at the restaurant than at the plant since I got home. I think they had him down to less than four hours a day but were not firing anyone because of the union. Working for my mother at the restaurant would not be enough to sustain us and care for Bella's family. I had to go.

I gently washed her body, trying to memorize every inch of her skin, wanting to take the memories of it with me on the ship. The trip before me suddenly felt daunting and long, where before I had always been eager to get out into the world and on the sea. Now, I was just a mess of want and loneliness and I had yet to leave my girl behind.

I glanced at the calendar on the night table as we dressed. The calendar was laid out open to July, marking the day her mother's C-section was planned and her brother would be born and coming home. In a fit of panic, I had called Captain Towers frantic after Bella had received the call from the OB/GYN. I knew she shouldn't have to go through that alone. She shouldn't have to lose her mother and gain the responsibility of a baby all in one day without me there to support her. Captain Towers understood the dilemma and knew this was a unique set of circumstances. When I told him the day the baby would be delivered and then explained how her mother's funeral would take place not long after, he said he would do his best to move things around so the ship maintenance and restocking was taking place during that time and he would let me fly home to take care of my girl. Really, he was being more than generous, as I usually oversaw the maintenance and restocking of supplies. I wished there was something wonderful I could do for him to thank him. He was really going above and beyond for me.

"Edward!" my mother called to me across the restaurant and Bella hid in my side a little more. "Oh, sugar, get you and your pretty little wife over here. You have got to taste this food. It ain't southern but it's _good_. Those Italians know how to cook a feast!" she said enthusiastically and winked at the older woman running the place.

Esme had become good friends with Athenadora, the lady who ran the restaurant and controlled the menu. Her husband, Caius, gave her the place to keep her busy according to mom. Apparently, he was into international goods shipping or whatever. Athenadora came over with menus for Bella and I. My mother stood up and proudly introduced us. "Dora dear, this is my son, Edward McCarty, and his wife, Bella. Aren't they just the sweetest?"

Bella blushed of course and I offered her my hand. "Very nice to meet you, Ms. Dora."

She seemed to glance at our ring fingers and smiled widely. "She's lovely, Esme," she said with a thick accent.

"Isn't she?" my mother gushed. "Can you believe he's leaving her behind to work on a ship with a bunch of stinky men?"

"Mother," I complained, "I would stay if I could, you know that, but with the baby coming and all..."

Dora's eyes lit up. "A baby! How exciting!" she squealed clapping her hands in true womanly fashion. Before anyone could stop her, she was shouting out orders in Italian and large trays of food were brought out.

Finally, she grabbed an older looking gentleman who seemed to wander out to see what his wife was up to. "Caius! Beloved, you must come meet my friends. Esme, this is my husband, Caius, and this is Carlisle." Dora added a little eyebrow wiggle causing him to blush and Esme to giggle, taking his hand. "This is her son, Edward, and his beautiful wife, Bella. The McCarty's own the restaurant up the street. I brought you some cobbler from there last week."

Caius's eyes lit up with recognition. "That was delicious, we're lucky you don't serve Italian or we would be out of business."

"My specialty is southern home cooking, I'm afraid I can't wield a pasta maker the way your sweet Dora can."

"You're just being modest," Dora said with a wave of her hand.

"Caius, tell her that's nonsense," my mother implored. "You know her pasta is the best in this country and probably in Italy, too."

He smiled at my mother and then kissed his wife's temple. "You know, my dove, she's right."

His wife said something back to him in Italian that I believe was probably suggestive because he pulled her closer and kissed her deeply. For some reason, this all seemed to make Carlisle rather uncomfortable.

"So, my dove, why are we imposing on this family gathering?" Caius asked as if he wanted to take her into the back room.

"Nonsense, you're not imposing. You should know by now, in this town everyone is family," she said and winked at Dora.

Caius reached over and kissed my mother's hand. "That's very kind of you."

Dora smiled as her husband hugged her to his side. "Well, my dove?" he asked again.

"Young Edward has to leave his wife to go out to sea. Little Bella McCarty will be left behind until he returns. He goes to support their growing family," she said the last part with a grin.

Caius smiled at his wife and spoke to her in Italian again. They exchanged a few words and it seemed like she was trying to make some sort of point; what, I had no clue, but Caius stood up suddenly. "That's it! Food is on the house!" he shouted and kissed his wife's cheek then strode off to the office or the restroom. They were both down the same hall.

"What a sweet man, you're really lucky with him," Esme gushed.

Dora cut her eyes as Carlisle and said, "I'm not the only one with luck, my dear."

Carlisle asked to be excused to go to the restroom and was gone for a while. I almost went to make sure he didn't get sucked in but I knew I couldn't leave my girl like that in a strange place. He finally came out, but you could feel the tension rolling off of him. He plastered on a smile and barely touched his food, feigning not feeling well and asked to have a doggy bag to go. Esme and Dora both coddled the faker and we finally left the restaurant.

Once we got the women inside and Bella disappeared down to the bathroom, Carlisle grabbed my arm. "_Sono venuti per_ _Bella_." I looked at him confused. "I speak Italian, Edward. I did a year abroad in Italy. They came looking for the girl, they came for Bella. When I went to the restroom, I overheard one side of a heated conversation between Caius and someone called Aro. From what I gathered, he and Caius were Marcus's brothers. They looked into his death and followed the trail here, and they've come to see what the fuss was about, why he came here looking for a young girl.

"The fire was sent as a message but it was delivered on the wrong building. Caius was actually thankful that it happened that way so Esme was able to collect an insurance payout and expand her restuarant. His wife, Dora, truly cares for Esme and she has him wrapped around her little finger, so he and doesn't want to do anything to hurt Dora. His wife was fighting with him about 'the girl' over dinner. Something about how they had no file and no proof that Bella was ever Marcus's property and the dirty old fool got what was coming to him for trying to steal another man's wife."

I was trying to control my breathing. I had taken my girl right into the lion's den. Thank the Lord we had made it out! I was going to have to start attending church with momma if my girl kept attracting this kind of trouble. We would need all the divine help we could get!

"This Aro fellow wasn't completely convinced that you didn't steal Bella from Marcus, but Caius insisted that if there was no paper trail marking her as his property, then they needed to leave her alone."

I remembered Bella had taken her file when she ran away. She took it to see who had sold her and maybe find out why she was chosen. Having that missing file was the godsend that was saving her now.

"From what I could make out, Caius will be closing the restaurant and moving on to other things in the next month." Carlisle rubbed his face. "I think it's best if the women don't know this so they can continue to play sweet and dumb. If they start acting nervous now, the Italians might get susupious."

I didn't like this and I wondered secretly if I could squeeze Bella into my dufflebag. She was still pretty small and it was rather large. I really didn't want to leave her now, especially with the Italian mob right at our doorstep, but what choice did I really have?

What was i going to do now?

A/N Wild development but you all knew the restaurant was a front. The message on the wall of the place that burned down was _**return the girl**_ for those that didn't figure it out. I hope it was somewhat close to the correct translation as I only used the internet to write it. I am not Italian nor do I claim to speak it. If you speak it at me, I just nodded and smiled then say that is so nice and you could be calling me all manner of horrible things. I would never know. This chapters phrase means, _They came for Bella_. I hope I got it right. Sorry the update is late in coming. I am still writing it is just the Fan Fic sight is acting stupid not letting me post! I hear I am not the only one struggling with this either. You may have noticed a lot of authors are being slow to update. We aren't doing it on purpose. Well I'm not, so please bare with me and I hope you do actually get this update soon.


	56. Chapter 56

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 56 While the Cat's Away…

Leaving went against everything I believed, with the very fiber of my being wanting to revolt against me. My body did not want to move toward the ship. I couldn't leave my Bella. I didn't want to leave her while the Italians were still in town, but it was too late. We had put off our ship-out date as far as possible. Any later and we would hit storms on the other end of it. There was a risk early storms would hit us as it was.

Bella and I had spent our last night together wrapped up in each other, and it took all the control I had not to lose it in front of her. I knew doing so would do neither of us any good and would make my departure all the more difficult. So, we just held on and made love until we both passed out from exhaustion.

I had spoke with Carlisle and Jessup, making sure both would keep a close eye on her. Jessup went so far as to suggest putting up surveillance cameras. Carlisle was about to nix the idea but I agreed. I wanted my girl watched every moment of the day. I slipped Jessup my house key and made him promise to look after my girl. He took his job protecting my girl seriously since I had helped save his.

Jessup didn't tell me all the measures he would take to protect my girl because he said I may be compromised. I was going to disagree with him but remembered he wasn't all there. The crazy thing was, that fact made me feel better. If anything, she would be too safe.

Carlisle and Esme came to walk Bella and me to the ship. I hoped she would be alright. Carlisle had given her a little something extra to help her as she watched me leave. Most of the men didn't have serious girls, so my family was the only ones there to say goodbye. Captain Towers came to say hello and offer condolences to my wife on her mother. I pulled her into my arms and kissed deeper than was probably polite for being in public, but no one complained or said anything. Captain just patted my shoulder and promised to get me back to my girl as soon as possible. As I boarded the ship, I left my heart there on the dock with my Bella.

I called that night and found out from my mother that Jessup had let Tanya take over his duties at the post office. My mother was pleased because Tanya would accept stamped mail and sell stamps as well. I had a feeling the change was made so he could look after my girl. When I spoke with Bella, she broke down in tears and my mother reassured me that she would be having Bella staying in her room with her so she wouldn't be alone at night. She didn't know it, but that made me feel like my girl was a whole lot safer.

I knew that my mother had a couple of guns in her nightstand courtesy of Carlisle. I just hoped they didn't accidently shoot Jessup. I pulled up the secure website link Jessup gave me. I let him know I would take the first shift so he could sleep. I would call him before I retired that night. I was silently going crazy. I was going to go nuts when we ended up out of range. The delay of the satellites would not be safe. I would have to turn it all over to Jessup and Carlisle. July would not be coming fast enough. I wanted to get home and see that the Italians were gone for myself.

I spent the next several nights watching my girl sleep. My mother complained about a raccoon outside the window. I had Jessup look into it. Turned out it was him. He had taken to sleeping under their window just to be safe. "If something were to go down on your watch, it would be over by the time I got across town," he explained. He was right and I was thankful that he'd thought of it.

Carlisle was covering for him with the women. Tanya had been talking to my mom about a new therapy that had been keeping him overnight to help with the night terrors. I watched the cameras the next morning as Carlisle walked my mother and Bella from the car into the restaurant and I shifted cameras to watch them enter the building. My breath caught as I saw Dora and Caius were there enjoying breakfast with another man. I didn't like the way he was eyeing my Bella and quickly called Jessup. I could see their mouths moving and knew they were speaking Italian by the way Carlisle tipped his head to listen in. I wanted to call him and demand to know what was said but knew I had to wait. I didn't like this. Not one bit.

"If you come back, you'll blow the cover."

"Can't we lie and say there was something wrong with Bella's parents?" I asked.

"She would have to go along with it and I don't think she could handle this right now, Edward. She's in a very fragile state as it is. You're her support, her rock, and you're out of reach. To expose such a threat so close to her with you being so far away would send her into a catatonic state."

"Well, at least tell me what the heck they were saying! I know you were listening."

He let out a sigh. "The other man was his brother, Aro. He's one that didn't believe she was nothing. He wants to look into it more. He has spoken to the men who were originally sent after her and they let him know that she really was Marcus's and don't know why there is no record of her. They pointed out that this was the girl they had to hide from that 'rougue, Swan'. Dora had a fit and insisted they'd made a mistake because her father was nowhere in sight. They tried to bring up the marriage certificate and the use of her name but she insisted that it could be a misspelling. Dora is doing everything in her power to save your girl. I'm going to have to try and come up with some other version of her name that would look like Swan. Do you have a copy of the certificate?" he asked.

"I do," a voice broke into our conversation. "I gots it in my files. I can doctor it up and bring it by as if it got caught up in the mail. I'll set it right in front of them so they can all see it was a mistake," Jessup said.

I didn't know how he got in on the conversation but I was glad that he was.

"Maybe I can say something and Carlisle can remind me that it isn't Suvar anymore but McCarty so they can see where the mistake was made. Do you know if anyone you've seen there ever saw your girl living in the kidnapper's house?"

"No, they were all brought on as extras after the explosions killed most of Marcus's crew. We lucked out on that one," Carlisle confirmed.

"That wasn't luck, but at least it played into our favor," Jessup added.

I just hoped Jessup was wrong and luck was on our side, or God. Yeah, we definitely needed God right about now.

A/N Sorry the site is still giving me crap about updating so I am updating slow and annoying! My heavens I think I have less patience then you guys. So here you go, please review.


	57. Chapter 57

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

I hope you enjoy reading it. Sorry the updates are few and far between Fan Fic is still giving me crap. I hope you all are getting it!

Chapter 57 Running Silent

We were going to be out of range in the next twenty-four hours. I was going a little crazy. I called Carlisle and insisted he take over my watching shift. He said he would. If he wasn't watching her in person, he would be keeping an eye on her using the cameras. I was surprised he agreed but I guess this Aro guy was really giving him the creeps, too.

I talked to my girl on the phone one last time and told her that I missed her and loved her. She said she was doing okay, that my mom was looking after her well. She also told me she would be counting down to seeing me in July. I wouldn't be able to talk to her until the middle of June when we finally would be back in range. I couldn't believe I was going to go a month without my girl. I think I was going to go mad.

I talked with Carlisle one more time before things went dead and we were stuck with just our radio.

"The marriage certificate ruse went off without a hitch," he explained. "Jessup walked in as they were all having coffee and asked if I could give it to Bella knowing she was in the back with Esme. I asked him what it was and he said it was the marriage license. I asked him if they got the name right on it this time. He was flawless, saying he just delivered the mail, not read it. I opened it and showed him the mistakes they had made."

"How did he change it?" I asked.

"I'm getting there. I explained to them that the Americans in the office had the audacity to Americanize Bella's name. Lisabelle Suvar was not American enough for them, I said hitting a nerve. They did a lot of name changing on Ellis Island. I told them you had to send it back and complain. I wondered if the transcriber was drunk or something because they completely butchered it," he said. "I flopped it down on the table in front of them and of course Dora went off on a tangent in Italian. 'She's the wrong girl, you idiots, now you leave her alone. She's not who you were looking for and is not who Marcus was looking for, either. The stupid old fool got himself killed over a dead girl!' she said smugly. It was wonderful. Caius seemed resigned in leaving. He didn't want to mess with Bella as it was. He told Aro that is was time to drop it. 'The Swans were gone,' he insisted. Apparently, they have a beef with Charlie. We're going to have to hide him until they're out of town," Carlisle sighed.

"I wish they were gone already. I would feel a whole lot better if they were gone before I get out of range."

"Don't worry, Edward, I called for reinforcements. Jake and his partner, Riley, will be poking around. They'll just 'be in the neighborhood' and remember your mother's awesome cooking and just have to stop in. I think the fact that Jake calls her Bells instead of Bella will help reinforce the Lisabelle name. They know not to draw any attention to Bella or us. He'll be sure to clarify that he picked up his love for Esme's cooking during the serial killer's case. He and his partner will be poking around the restaurant and where Aro is staying. Their presence is enough to warrant FBI interest so it shouldn't be anything unusual to them. I just hope it gets them to move along faster."

"I do, too. When will Jake be there?"

"Tomorrow morning. He'll be stopping in for morning coffee and one of Esme's handmade éclairs around the same time the brothers will be having theirs."

"Good, I hate that they're anywhere near my girl," I growled.

"I know what you mean, but you have nothing to worry about, Edward. Esme and I are both packing and if anything went down, I think they would be surprised how quick and easy it would be for one of us to drop them before they touched your girl."

I let out a frustrated sigh.

"She's family, Edward. We'll look after her and protect her as such. No one will lay a hand on her. I promise," he reassured me but I wasn't going to feel better until the Italians were gone.

I was so upset that I couldn't get an update or watch my girl that I couldn't sleep. I was dragging the next day and snapped at one of the men. Captain Towers pulled me aside and I explained everything to him. He said I was nuts for leaving but I told him that I had already given my word that I would ship out with him and couldn't leave him hanging like that.

He hugged me. I totally didn't expect that. "You're a good boy, Edward. I know you need the money so I'll let you come with me until July, but I don't expect you back here after that. Go take care of your girl and that new baby."

"I'm hoping by July, the mess with the Italians will be over," I said settling into his office chair.

"Well, if it's not, you let me know and you stay. This is crazy for you to be here. You're only useful to me if you're well rested and focused, and you're neither at this point."

"I'm sorry, Sir, I promise I'll do better."

He let out a chuckle. "I don't expect you to do better, Son. You're in a messed up situation. If those 'Italians' as you call them are still around in July, you give me a call. I'll pull your weight the second half of the trip. For now, though, I think we'll kick up the engines a few knots to see if we can't get back in range a little faster."

"Really?" I asked my face lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Of course, Son, she's family and I want to be sure she's alright myself."

"Thank you, Sir. I mean it. I'll definitely do better. I'll be the best first officer you ever had."

"Edward, you already are the best first officer I've ever had. You just have to focus a little more. Try and picture it as not sailing away from your girl but to her and getting in range of seeing her and getting our route done so you can get back to her faster."

"I will, Sir, thank you, Sir," I said as he dismissed me.

I hurried down to the engine room and double checked everything before ordering the men to raise our speed. It was barely noticeable but when I did the math, it would get us into range a whole week sooner. I then decided to look over the shipping route to make sure we were going the fastest way possible and double checked our pick up and drop off route. Captain Towers had been using the same route for about fifteen years. When I came on, I never question it because he was the Captain, but now I wanted to see if we could cut some more time off our trip.

After double checking and re-plotting, I brought my proposal before the Captain. He looked down at the new route and smiled. "I see you've been busy."

"I was just thinking, we still stop in a couple of ports for no reason anymore. Those companies have gone out of business and so there's no pick up or drop off needed there."

"No, the only reason we were stopping there was to keep up the morale of the men. Most see some regular whores there but I see no reason why we can't cut them out this trip and get things ahead of schedule. I'd just left them in because I wasn't sure if someone would request a shipment there up until the last minute."

"Has anyone contacted you?" I asked.

"No, we're in the clear. The way you have us turning the ship and cutting up this back route will actually cut quite a bit of time off. I'm surprised I didn't see this before."

"I was hoping to help you with the maintenance and restocking. I know it's a difficult job and a major part of my job description."

He smiled at me. "Edward, you're a good man."

"With what I have plotted out here, you would only have to ship out without me on the final trip home. It would be early enough with cutting this time off the route that you shouldn't encounter any storms, but I'm not going to make any promises. If the weather turns bad, you can hit these islands here for a safe harbor, and I'll fly in and help you get home the last stretch," I said looking up at him. There was no way I would leave my men to die at sea.

He patted my shoulder. "It looks like you've thought of everything. I still can't believe with your intelligence that you never went to college. I don't doubt you could do anything you wanted. You know, you would be a good captain one day, Edward. I wonder if your girl has sea legs."

I shrugged. "She seemed to be fine, but she isn't one for travel. She's more about putting down roots and taking care of family."

"I'm glad to hear you found yourself a good woman," he said standing up. "Now, let's go give the order to cut this trip short. I'm sure we'll get some flack from the men for it, but they can just kiss our asses. They can find new whores to fuck."

That was fine by me. I just hoped the men didn't try and toss me overboard for cock blocking them this trip. Knowing the dispositions of some of them, that was a distinct possibility.

A/N Thanks for reading please review and I hope to get another update in soon!


	58. Chapter 58

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 58 Planning Under Pressure

To say the men were unruly was an understatement. But I was just as stern in return, commanding the attention and work required to get me back to my girl. I would not let them slack. The captain was impressed, and he was thankful. Since our trip had been shortened greatly, we would be using fewer supplies, saving money and earning the boys all a nice little bonus. When he announced it, he told them they could all buy new whores with the bonus and to get used to it. The run was going to stay shortened from here on out unless another shipment involving one of the bypassed ports was requested next summer.

Next summer. I didn't know what the hell I was going to do then. We could ship out as late as the beginning of May, and be back by the end of August with our new route, barring no complications. It was still four months of no Bella and I didn't think I would be able to handle it any better then, either. The Italians had better be gone or I would be taking them out myself when I got home.

I realized that I would be home in time for Bella's birthday now. I was a bit excited and I planned on surprising her. I would have to come home a little later in July, but I would be able to stay unless a storm arose. I hoped that I would be there in time for the funeral. I knew I had to make it for that. I hoped she wouldn't be too upset when I called and told her I would miss her brother's birth.

We finally came back into range a full two weeks sooner than originally planned. I immediately called my girl. My mother answered the phone and nearly exploded in excitement when she heard it was me. I asked for my wife but didn't get the words all the way out before the phone was in her hand and I could hear her soft crying.

"Bella, honey, are you alright? Is everything okay?" I asked.

"No, yes."

"Which is it?" I asked a little panicked, wondering what had happened.

"I just miss you. You're not here, but yes, I'm fine," she sniffled and I wished I was there to hold her in my arms until she felt better.

"I'll be there as soon as possible. Unfortunately, something has come up and I'm going to be a few days later in July."

"How much later?" was her immediate reply.

"Just a few days, I'm hoping to be there only three days later than was scheduled before. I should still make it for the funeral if all goes as planned."

"I'll call the doctor and see if he can't reschedule delivering the baby then. I want you here. Will you still have a week with me?" she asked nervously, sure her time would be cut short.

"Yes, if all goes as planned, I should be able to be there for you," I said vaguely. "When is the doctor's office open so you can call?" I asked, suddenly realizing I didn't even consider what time it was there. I had just called as soon as the phone was working again.

"They should be open right now."

"Well, call them and then call me back, or I'll call you. Which do you prefer?"

"I guess I should call you. I don't know how long I'll be on hold."

"Alright, beautiful, call me as soon as you know the answer. I love you," I said.

"I love you, too," she whispered before we disconnected.

I hated that she was hanging up, but she needed to. I hoped she was able to change the date of the c-section. It was still pretty far out. We had originally scheduled it around my free week. Hopefully, the doctor would still be accommodating. He knew I was coming in from overseas to take care of my girl. This OB/GYN was much more compassionate than the jerk in Washington. I was glad we were rid of him.

I had been pacing, waiting for the phone call when Captain Towers poked his head in and smiled.

"Waiting for the line to open?" he asked.

"It did open. I just talked to my wife and she's going to see if she can reschedule the birth of the baby and call me back."

He nodded. "I hope it works out for you, Edward. I know how much it would mean to you to be there for her."

I smiled and nodded. "I really appreciate you letting me change things around so I could get back to her sooner."

"Not at all, Son, your changes made us some nice cash. It was all for the better. I'm glad you took a knife to the schedule. We'll all be home sooner," he said and then paused. "So, any thoughts of coming on board next summer?" he asked.

I rubbed my face and shrugged. "I don't know. I'll just have to wing it again. I need to be there for my wife if she needs me, but the baby may take her complete attention. I'm not sure, honestly."

He let out a laugh. "Wing it, it is. I'll come find you when it's time. Just keep me apprised of what's going on like you did before, Edward. You're a good first officer and worth moving things around for. Thank you."

"Thank you for keeping me and being patient," I said sincerely.

He let out a chuckle as I jumped when the phone rang. I nearly leaped on it, causing him to laugh harder. "I hope it all works out for you," he said and left, giving me privacy to speak with my wife.

"Hello? Bella?" I asked hopeful. I suddenly realized it could have been a wrong number or something.

"Edward?"

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm here. What did the doctor say?" I asked eager to know.

"He said it would be fine, but he has to do it five days later instead of three."

"It's okay. I'll be there, and that way we can get CJ's room set up for him."

She let out a sniffle.

"What's wrong, Love?"

"It's hard to schedule my mother's death, you know?"

"Oh, baby, I'm so sorry to make you have to do this."

"No, Edward, it's fine. I want you here. It's just hard. Carlisle hooked me up with an attorney, Eric Yorkie. I guess I needed to get power of attorney over my mother's estate since my parents aren't married and my dad is still a mess himself. There are also the possibility of some loose ends in Florida from when we lived there that Mr. Yorkie is researching so we can get everything settled cleanly. It's just a lot to handle. I wish you were here to help me," she spoke softly and let out a sad sigh.

"I wish I was there, too. I'm doing everything in my power to get back to you as fast as possible."

"I know, it's just..."

"What?" I asked when she paused.

"Mr. Yorkie found out that there was a life insurance policy on Phil. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to raise suspicions, especially because of when it was bought."

"What do you mean?"

"You remember how you overheard him telling that guy to take my mom?"

"Yeah?"

"He bought it the next day. He bought the policy the next day and the money is still in a legal mess. Mr. Yorkie is working on getting it for me but I'm hoping something good can come from all this mess."

"It already has. You came to me," I said a little disappointed. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me, honey."

"I love you, Edward," she said softly.

"I love you, too. How are you doing otherwise? Are you handling the drive from the house to the restaurant alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's a bit hard, though. I'm on a new medicine that's a little stronger. I'm taking it just until you come home. I hope I won't need it anymore when you're here because it's making me sick. I'm lucky if I keep the dang pill down."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"It's alright. Carlisle said my body will eventually adjust to it so it won't make me feel so sick."

"I miss you," I whispered hating that I was so far away while she was suffering. I wanted to be there to comfort her, to help her so she wouldn't need that stupid medication that made her sick. She had been doing so well, and now it sounded like she was getting set back again. I hated that I was messing her up by having to be so far away from her. I was really regretting my skipping college and going straight to the shipyard now. I made good money but I didn't think it was worth it anymore. If I could find a way to pay for Charlie, Renee and baby CJ's care while I stayed at home, I would do it, and I would go to school myself and get into a career that wouldn't take me away from home for months at a time. I so wished I could do that.

"I miss you, too, baby," she whimpered.

The sound of her crying broke my heart and I was determined that she wouldn't miss me for long.

A/N Fan fic seems to be working a little better. I hope to get back on my regular daily updating schedule soon! Thanks for reading please review.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59 – Family Issues

As soon as I was off the phone with Bella, I was on the phone with Carlisle. I needed to get the latest update on my girl's safety.

"Dr. Cullen, how may I help you?" he said

"Carlisle, it's Edward. How is my girl?" I rushed out.

"She's doing as good as can be expected. The stress of losing her mother is getting to her, though. I have Esme doing all the funeral arrangements for her so when the time comes, Bella can just show up. I doubt she would be up to doing anything more with a new baby in the house."

"Thank you. What about the Italians?" That was what I really wanted to know.

"They didn't stay long after Jake and Riley showed up. Caius and Dora were already packing up before they came, but that was the final push to get Aro to go. Jake followed after Aro, keeping a tail on him, and he sent another set of agents after Caius and Dora just to be sure they really left and didn't send anyone else back to watch. I still think we should be careful when we first bring Charlie home. The less people that know about him, the better. I could tell by the way they spoke that they had a vendetta against him. I think it would be best to have a headstone engraved with his name as well and put his death date as the day of the accident. It should be put in the Forks cemetery and hopefully that will be enough to throw them off his trail. We don't want anything linking him to Bella here in town."

"The money from this run will be deposited at the end of August," I informed him. "The stone can be ordered then."

"Charlie will be home before then."

"I know, but I don't want Bella to be tight financially."

"If she can get through the red tape in Florida, she should be able to get it herself soon. I'll look into the mortuary in Forks where they're from and see if I can get it set up."

"Thank you, Carlisle. I really appreciate your help on this."

"I hope you know that I consider you family, and I hope you would consider me family, too, Edward," he said carefully. I didn't like the idea of my mom being with anyone new, but he did make my mom happy and he helped us out a lot. I didn't know what I would do without him looking after my girl at this point.

"Edward," he broke the awkward silence, "I hoped you would give your mother and me your blessing to wed. I know it would mean the world to her and me. I'm not replacing your father. I'm just here to help the family, Edward. I want to be part of your family officially."

I let out a sigh. If I thought about it hard enough, I would realize he already was part of my family. "You both have my blessing, Carlisle. You're good to her, and to us, so I already consider you family, too. You take care of my momma and my girl until I come home. Speaking of which, is there any way to speed up the completion of our apartment over the restaurant?" I asked.

"Speed it up? Why?"

"I've rearranged things, and if all goes as planned, when I come home at the end of July, I can stay there. I would only have to leave if the weather turned bad shipside."

"Really?" He sounded just as excited for me to come home as I was.

"Yeah, but I haven't said anything to anyone. I was worried stuff might fall through. Shipping is an unpredictable business."

"Of course, I wouldn't want to get the girl's hopes up, either, if I were you. I'll see about speeding up the process without them knowing. Does this have anything to do with you cutting out a few of your old routes?" he asked and I was surprised he knew about them.

"Yes, actually, I rerouted the whole plan, cutting out some old unnecessary stops."

"Was one of those stops the one where you picked up Bella?" he asked curious.

"Actually, yeah, that port was just a morale boost stop, the last of its kind. Why do you ask?"

"I had overheard Caius and Aro arguing. Caius had looked into your route plan before they left just to appease Aro. He was getting too close for comfort. I was about to suggest a holiday to visit my aunts in Virginia to get away from them without the girls knowing. Turns out your Captain had changed the route just before they looked and it showed that you didn't stop in Germany. Aro was sure you had picked up Bella there, but since it wasn't on the itinerary, they think your ship never stops there, so you should be in the clear."

"That was a close one then. I didn't change things up too long ago. I hope Aro doesn't do anymore digging. There's no telling what he would find if he looked at our old shipping routes, but he would have to do some serious extra work to get access to them. You said Jake was still on his tail?" I asked.

"Yes, I've called him a few times and it looks like Aro will be going to Cuba for a while. Marcus had an estate there that Aro has taken over. From the looks of things, Caius is pretty clean. He runs mostly businesses that are legit, but most were funded by his brothers at one point to get him on his feet. Otherwise, he seems like a good man and is on your side. I wouldn't come out and tell him the truth about Bella any time soon, though. Dora would be fine with it, but I doubt Caius would overlook it because his brother died," Carlisle said.

"Believe me; I don't plan on saying a word to them. You be sure to keep my mom's mouth shut about this, too. I know her and Dora are friends."

"They've gone back to Italy. I don't think they'll have much contact anymore. I wouldn't put it past Aro to send scouts to keep an eye on us for a while, though."

"We'll just have to deal with it when it happens. As long as we lay low with Charlie, everything should be fine. Should we get Charlie his own apartment to keep his relationship with Bella a secret?"

"I don't think that's necessary, Edward. In the end, it wouldn't matter where he lived. It would just be too much of a coincidence for Bella to be mistaken to be someone else and then that person's father come to live in the same town as her. It's best we keep him close so we can keep an eye on things. Putting him in another apartment would make him more vulnerable, as well as Bella. She would be going to visit and take care of him. It would just spread us too thin to keep an eye on them."

I let out a sigh. Putting him in the house with my girl made her vulnerable regardless. "I'll be home soon," I said. That was my only comfort. I would be coming home as soon as possible and then I would be able to protect my family.

Carlisle, Jessup, and I shared the watch time on Bella. I knew Carlisle was thinking it was a bit much, but I was glad that Jessup didn't seem to mind. I was also impressed when he somehow snuck a camera into the hospital where Charlie was staying. He'd had some complications with his last surgery and was stuck there again. Jessup said my girl wasn't dealing with that well but Carlisle and my mom seemed to be keeping her busy. I could tell from the video that Emmett and Rose were looking out for my girl, as well as Jasper and Alice. Alice was actually bringing Bella a bag of candy every morning to cheer her up. She actually would smile when she saw it. Just not as big as when she saw me. I think I was a little happy that she wasn't completely fine without me. I hoped that didn't make me a bad person.

I wasn't completely okay without her either, though. That much was obvious by my sore throat. I had been on the men like mad lately, working them hard so we could get home faster. If I thought the ship could handle the extra knots, I would speed it up but we couldn't do that until we dropped our last load and I would be on my way home by then anyway. I was sure they would all be relieved to find me gone when the time came. I was sure I was making a few enemies this route. Of course, once they saw their paychecks, they wouldn't care anymore. That was what Captain kept telling me.

I hoped he was right.


	60. Chapter 60

**SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.**

Chapter 60 - Homecoming Surprise

We had just finished restocking and doing maintenance on the ship. I double checked my flight home. It was ten hours home but definitely worth it. I had called Carlisle and made sure he could pick me up from the airport. I went over the supply list and last minute checks one more time. Captain Towers walked in and relieved me of my clipboard. "We'll be fine, Son. Now go catch that plane of yours," he said with a smile. I didn't have to be told twice.

The flight was insanely long and I couldn't sleep, I was too excited. The in-flight movie was a kid's show and the food sucked. That was no surprise. The fact that it sucked worse than the slop we ate on the ship was, though.

I folded my check and unfolded it several times. I was sure to wear the crease through and tear it. I was a little shocked when Captain gave me my check early for my work. There was a nice bonus in it as well. My usual fifty thousand dollar paycheck was now sixty thousand. That was a lot more than I expected, but I was sure we could use it. I knew my girl would be busy with her new little brother in a few days but I hoped she had time to let me hold her for a while. Truth was, I was a horny bastard but I knew I had to hold back since she was gaining a brother and losing her mother in the same day.

"Edward," Carlisle called to me. His face lit up when he saw me and I knew it was because he knew my mother and wife would be ecstatic at my sudden appearance. I had purposely been very vague about when I was coming back, not sure myself when I would be able to get away and leave the Captain and not feel guilty about it. He ended up buying the ticket and told me to stop dicking around and get ready to go home.

Carlisle gave me a hug. "How are my girls?" I asked.

"They're both doing fine. Jessup is keeping an eye on them now. I wanted to talk to you about something important and run it by you before I bring it up to Bella. I talked to Charlie and let him know that Aro was still after him. I let him know we were trying to make it look like he died in the accident, but even with the headstone I had Bella buy, I don't think it's working. There have been a few strangers passing through town. A few more than I feel comfortable with. Caius and Dora believed Bella to be pregnant when they left. It was an assumption that we didn't correct at your going away dinner. I want to have Bella pose as her brother's mother. She's a sweet, loving woman so I don't think it's going to be an issue, but you would have to see him as your son."

I stood back a little dumbfounded. I was a little out of my league. Babies were not something I knew a lot about, and even though I was excited for Bella to finally get to bring her brother home, I wasn't sure what to do with him.

"I've spoken with Charlie, and as it is, he needs to sign guardianship over to someone and Bella has agreed to take it. Charlie is in a lot worse shape than predicted. His surgeries have not gone well and they're not seeing a good outlook for him. He isn't going to be able to take care of himself, let alone a baby. CJ will officially be yours."

I rubbed my hand over my face. "Does Charlie know this? I don't want him thinking I'm trying to steal another one of his kids."

"He knows, Edward. There's nothing he can do about it. He's looking at probably another six years of operations and physical therapy just to get to the point where he can feed himself and write, and it's not looking good for him being able to ever walk again. Caring for a newborn is something he knows he can't do. He's agreed to let you adopt his son if you're willing to take him."

I was floored, or not, heck, I didn't know what I was. I was being asked to be a father. I mean this was my little brother in law and I guess I knew on some level that I would be helping take care of him, but as his father? That was just…wow.

"Why don't we get in the car and you can mull it over. I have the papers at my office when you're ready to sign them."

I nodded my head, thankful I had time to let this sink in. I really just wanted to get home to my girl.

Carlisle pulled up to my mother's house. "Your place is ready but she didn't want to stay there without you."

"Thanks, Carlisle, I mean it," I said. As I pulled my bag out of the back seat, a dark figure came out of the bushes. I was worried for a minute until I saw them holding a big long shotgun. I knew then it was Jessup.

I gave him a hug as he welcomed me home. I thanked him profusely for looking after my girl, and as humble as he was, he just said, "It was nothing."

"No, she's my everything. It's definitely something to me," I pointed out and he smiled.

"You're right. Thanks, Edward, for trusting me. Most folks think I'm not right in the head."

I patted his shoulder. "Well, I just happen to know better."

"Do you have your key?" Carlisle asked.

"Yeah, I'll take it from here, guys," I said and rushed up the steps into the house. I set my bag in my room, but it was empty. I knew she had been sleeping with my mom lately and I wondered if there was enough room for me to sneak in behind her or if I would have to move her to my bed so I could sleep with her. I did not want to be away from my girl for another minute.

There was a little bit of space behind my girl and I kicked off my shoes and started to squeeze in behind her. I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her back against me, only to be met with a scream and an elbow. She pounded her elbow into me a few more times and then kicked me in the balls. I fell off the bed cupping myself and cringing, and when I opened my eyes, my mother was pointing a gun at me and Bella was turning on the lights.

"Edward? Oh, my heavens, are you alright?" my mother asked and Bella blinked at me a few times and then burst into tears.

I looked worried at my girl, afraid I had hurt her somehow, and so I quickly scrambled up, pulling her into my arms. "Bella, sweetheart, are you alright?" I asked and she just sobbed harder.

I picked her up and carried her to my room. "Please talk to me," I begged.

"I'm so sorry," she bawled loudly. "I didn't know it was you, I was just so scared."

"No, baby, it's fine. I want you to fight if you think you're in danger. I don't mind taking a few hits if it means you're safe," I said kissing her face and wiping her tears.

"I missed you," she whispered, kissing my lips softly and suddenly the mood changed very quickly. Unfortunately for me, my racked balls were not moving quite as fast. It was good to start slow again. It was nice to take my time and get to know my wife once more.

The next morning, I woke to a knocking on the bedroom door. I cracked my sleepy eyes and smiled at Bella's naked form sprawled over mine. I tugged the sheet up over us and answered whoever it was. "Yeah?" I said in a rough morning voice.

"Edward, sugar, it's your mother. I'm sorry about pulling the gun on you last night."

"It's fine, Ma, you were just taking care of my girl."

"I've made breakfast for you both when you're ready. It's in the warmer."

"Thanks," I called but I didn't plan on getting out of bed anytime soon.

I gently rolled my girl off of me and started kissing down her body. She was so beautiful and I loved that she was letting me have all of her again after all the time we were apart. I sucked her beautiful breast into my mouth and she started to stir. I kissed down her belly and licked her clit and she moaned.

I decided I would like breakfast after all and started to devour my wife. She woke up moaning in pleasure and smiled down at me.

"I thought you were a dream," she said pulling me up for a kiss.

"No, I'm here and I'm staying."

"Now I know you're a dream," she said pouting.

"No, sweetheart, I rearranged the schedule. I should be able to stay unless a storm comes in early. I think we'll be in the clear, though. I'm here, for good," I said kissing on her neck. She pushed me up, looking at me right in the eyes, trying to see something. "I'm staying," I said again and her face broke out in a huge grin as she squealed in excitement. My excitement was showing in another way pressed against her leg and she quickly shifted her hips, lining me up with her. My girl could not be more perfect. That was until I plunged into her. Yeah, that was more perfect than before. She was perfect.

We were eventually forced from my old room, but I didn't mind because it was just to move to our new room. We snacked on our 'breakfast' that was more a lunch now that I looked at the time, and I listened to Bella tell me about the final touchups that had been done to our new place.

"I put CJ's room right next to ours, and then my father's is on the other side. He has an in-home nurse that will be coming by to take care of him during the day, when he finally comes home," she paused and swallowed hard.

"Bella, are you going to be okay? I know taking care of your brother is going to be a lot of work but I'll be here for you."

"He asked me to adopt him, Edward," she spoke with watery eyes.

I smiled knowing this was hard on her and probably hard on Charlie, too. "So we adopt him," I smiled kissing her hair.

She looked up at me nervously. "Are you okay with that? Okay with adopting CJ and being his dad?"

I shrugged. "I don't know much about babies, but I figured you could teach me, right?"

She sobbed into my neck, squeezing me so tight. "Edward, thank you so much." I didn't know why she ever thought I would say no to her. I had never been able to tell her no.

The next two days were a mess of baby furniture assembly and nervousness. My mother assured me that everything was set for the funeral three days from tomorrow. Tomorrow, I would become a father. I had gone to Carlisle's office and when I walked in, he didn't say a word, just pulled out the papers and handed me the pen.

"You know we're all here for you," he said as he took the papers from me.

"I know, thanks for the heads up on this. I'm glad I had already processed it when she brought it up so I didn't freak out on her."

"I doubt you would have freaked, Edward. You're a good man. Your mother raised you well. I didn't even consider that you might say no because I knew you would never turn your back on them. That just isn't you," he said proudly.

He was right. There was no way I would ever say no to my girl or my son. I had a son. I had no idea what he looked like but I would be meeting him for the first time tomorrow.

I sat nervously in the waiting room. Bella and I were not allowed to be in the room because of the complicated state that Renee was in. Basically, I asked the doctor not to let my wife watch her mother die. He agreed that us being in the waiting room would be for the best. Bella had said her goodbyes to her before they wheeled her into the delivery room. I knew Charlie had been down the day before but was going under the knife again himself today for another surgery.

It was two hours later that Dr. Canter came in with a soft smile. "Well, you have a beautiful baby boy waiting for you in the nursery. I think the few extra days of cooking did him good because he had quite the set of lungs on him to protest when we delivered him. He was a big eight pounds nine ounces and has a full head of dark hair," she said smiling at Bella. At least our son would look like Bella. Maybe people wouldn't question the sad circumstance in which he came to us.

"I'll take you back so you can feed him his bottle," Dr. Canter said with a smile. I helped Bella stand. She was looking a little pale so I kept my arm around her, trying to keep her steady.

We stopped at the nursery window and looked at the little blue bundle. He already had the McCarty name. Carlisle said it would be safest for him to be a McCarty, not a Swan, and I was surprised when Charlie had agreed with him. He wanted his boy safe and knew that I would protect him. I was determined to protect my son. We walked into the nursery wearing hospital gowns with freshly washed hands. We didn't want to risk getting little CJ sick.

Bella stepped forward next to his little bassinet and swayed a little. I caught her in my arms just as she collapsed. The nurse on duty had me carry her to a room next door and called for a doctor to come up and look at her.

The doctor was very kind and had been apprised of the situation by Dr. Canter. He suggested that it was the stress of today's event that caused her to faint, but he was going to do some blood work just to be safe. He asked Bella a few questions before sending in a nurse to draw blood.

Bella frowned at me sheepishly and I kissed her forehead. "Would you like me to get CJ and we can try this again with you lying down?" I offered.

She nodded yes and I had the nurse bring in the baby. I squeezed in the bed and we squished little CJ between us. He looked up at us with little newborn blue eyes and let out a yawn. "I guess I'm boring," I teased, causing Bella to smile.

"Do you really think we can do this?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know if we can do it alone, but we've got my mom, Rose and Emmett, Alice and Jasper, and I'm pretty sure Carlisle plans on having a hand in raising little CJ, too. We're not alone in this, honey, we can do it."

She let out a breath. "I just don't want to mess him up."

I leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. "That right there is what will make you a great mom. You have nothing to worry about."

There was a soft knock on the door and Dr. Matterson came in quietly, taking in the sight of the sleeping baby between us. He smiled softly. "Looks like you're doing better."

Bella nodded yes, blushing lightly.

"Well, I think I found what caused the fainting episode. Have you had any before this?" he asked cryptically and I was starting to get worried.

"No," Bella whispered.

"Well, that's good. I hope you don't have anymore. If you do, you should take it up with your OB/GYN."

Those last initials stuck out in my brain. OB/GYN was the kind of doctor you saw when you were pregnant.

"My what?" Bella asked shocked.

"I have the test results here, Mrs. McCarty, you're four months pregnant."

Bella quickly turned away and threw up. I carefully rubbed her back and tried to calm the now fussing baby. Pregnant? Bella was pregnant with a baby, our baby.

"From the dates you gave me and your blood count, it looks like you'll be due the first week of January," the doctor went on after my girl stopped vomiting. I guess he was used to people puking.

A couple of women came in to help out, one to clean up the puke, the other to check on my girl. Dr. Canter was called in to perform an exam on my girl since she was already four months along. Four months! I looked at her but she didn't look pregnant. She looked perfectly normal.

"Are you sure the test is right? She doesn't look pregnant," I pointed out.

Dr. Canter grabbed an ultrasound machine and pulled it over to the bedside. "We'll soon find out."

A soft whooshing sound filled the room and it seemed to relax little CJ. He snuggled into my side as I gripped Bella's hand. Dr. Canter took a few prints and I finally asked, "So, is she pregnant?"

She smiled at me and turned the screen so we could see a little baby growing in my wife's stomach. "Yes, she's pregnant with a healthy baby. She's seventeen weeks by the looks of things. We can usually guess the sex at this stage. Would you like to know?" she asked looking to Bella.

Bella was sitting stunned with wide eyes. "Yeah, I think it would be helpful in preparing for the new baby. It looks like we're going to have our hands full," I said looking down at the little hand wrapped around my finger. A baby, or another baby, I should say. I guess I would be staying home next summer. There was no way I would leave my girl home alone like this.

"Bella, honey, do you want to know?" Dr. Canter asked and Bella nodded yes, dumbly.

"It looks like you're going to have a healthy baby girl. Congratulation, guys. You should call my office in the morning and set up another appointment in two weeks."

Bella still looked shocked.

I was surprised when Dr. Canter walked over and put her hands on either side of her face. "Bella, honey, I've only known you for a short time, but I know you can do this."

That little pep talk seemed to do the trick. Bella took in a deep breath and nodded okay. I kissed her cheek. "You know my mother is just going to be thrilled, right?" I said with a smile.

"Edward," she asked with a shaky tone, "Are you thrilled?"

I smiled widely. "Ecstatic, we have a boy and now we're having a little girl. Isn't that the American dream?" I said leaning over and kissing her lips softly.

"Okay," Bella said with a little more confidence. "We can do this."

I knew with the help of our friends and family that we could.

**A/N: Thanks for reading and please review.**


	61. Chapter 61

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 61 – Secrets Worth Sharing

So, it turned out that Bella's nausea from her medicine was morning sickness, the fatigue from her depression was actually fatigue from the baby, and the mood swings she blamed on her heightened anxiety was actually normal pregnancy hormones. All of the symptoms, plus her light and irregular periods, left her in the dark when it came to suspecting she was pregnant. For some reason, when it turned out that she wasn't pregnant the first time, she just assumed she wasn't the second. Being her first pregnancy, her body was not expanding that fast. I mean, she looked completely normal, but now that I thought of it, her breasts were a bit larger. I just thought it was her growing up. I guess I was wrong, she was actually growing _out_.

Over the next month, it had become abundantly clear that I was the one that would be caring for little CJ. It wasn't that Bella wasn't trying, but more than once I was thrown into a panic when I heard little CJ screaming from the next room, only to find my wife out cold from exhaustion, freaking me out and making me think something was wrong with her when actually she had just fallen asleep. The fact that his diapers made her vomit pretty much sealed it for us. I was on daddy duty, at least until our little girl made her appearance.

CJ was an adorable baby when he wasn't screaming. Unfortunately, that rarely happened. He had a nasty case of what the doctors called colic. His baby formula made his tummy upset and I didn't know what to do for him other than walk the floors all night patting his back until we both collapsed in exhaustion. Poor thing would actually whimper in his sleep and I was starting to feel like a failure as I father. Shouldn't I have some instincts? Shouldn't a parent just know what was wrong with their kid and how to fix it? I dropped my head back against the couch as I rubbed little CJ's back and wondered why god didn't send instructions with babies because I was pretty dang sure they needed them.

I heard a knock at the back door and looked at the time. It was a little after six o'clock in the morning. I wandered over with a little fussy CJ on my shoulder and opened the door to find my mother. She took one look at me and frowned. She took the baby from me and he seemed to settle right down.

"Get me a burp rag and a receiving blanket. It's time I teach you a few tricks of the trade," she said and I quickly did what she asked.

She rolled one of the blankets up, making it into a weird donut shape and had me take the baby. She slipped it in between CJ and I and then told me to burp him. After a few pats, he burped like a beer drinking champion. I looked at him surprised and my mother just laughed. "That was why he was so fussy, honey. Air bubbles hurt in little tummies. Now we need to get the rest out. Go sit down and I'll teach you how to fart a baby."

I looked at her confused. I was pretty sure my mother just said she was going to teach me how to fart a baby. Was this some secret information?

"Don't look at me like that. I know what I'm doing. Emmett was the gassiest little thing you ever saw."

"He still is," I said snickering and she shook her head at me.

"Now, lay the baby in your lap with his head on your knees with him looking up at you," she instructed and I did what she said because that donut blanket trick seemed to get him pretty settled down. "Now, take his little feet in your hands and push his knees into his tummy gently, sort of curling him up to the point his little bum pops up."

I did what she said and she instructed me to do it a few more times in sort of a rocking motion. Sure enough, little CJ let one rip long and loud. He seemed to be smiling about it, too, which was just too dang cute.

"Now that you have him feeling better, why don't I take him so you can go get some rest? You look exhausted, dear."

"I am," I said rubbing my face. "Bella has been so tired herself. She's really struggling to keep up with her school work."

"Well, I'm not surprised, sugar, growing a baby is hard work. I'm just glad I raised you right, and you're taking so well to little CJ here," she said kissing his little nose. "I know it was hard to step into the role of father so suddenly, Edward, but you're doing a wonderful job."

I must have been more exhausted than I thought because I nearly burst into tears. "Do you really think so, Mom? I feel so bad some nights when I can't get him to settle or he just lays there whimpering and I don't know what to do."

She hurried forward and hugged me. "Oh, honey, that's exactly why you're such a good daddy. I always knew you would be," she said kissing my head. "Now go get some rest. CJ is going to do some bonding with Grandma for a while," she said beaming with excitement as she packed his diaper bag. I hugged and kissed them both goodbye and dragged myself into my bedroom, barely making it to the bed before I flopped down and fell straight to sleep.

I woke to the sound of Bella vomiting. I jumped out of the bed and ran to the bathroom to make sure she was okay. When I started rubbing her back, she gasped out, "CJ, table." It took me a minute to figure out that she meant that CJ was on the changing table. I went running in worried he would squirm off but she had belted him down snugly.

I stopped in the doorway, relieved to find him safe, and took a minute to laugh at the sight. He was naked and content. She had put a wipe over his winky to keep him from fountaining, but he had gotten a hold of it and had it in his mouth. When he heard me laugh, he turned his little head and started kicking excitedly and waving his little wipe like it was flag. He was happy to see me and that just made me feel amazing. As I started walking closer, he shot off like a fountain, surprising himself and making me laugh even more. I quickly wiped him down and got him aimed in a different direction. He stretched his little arms toward me wanting me to pick him up so I started talking to him, telling him I was changing his diaper first and then we would have some good daddy and son bonding time.

Armed with my mother's new burping and 'farting' techniques, I was looking forward to trying them out on my own and proving to myself I could take care of my son.

"How's my big boy? You feeling better all cleaned up? Shall we go check on mommy?" I ask him as I moved into the hall, but heard someone clear their throat.

I stopped and saw Charlie in a wheelchair with his nurse, Sue. I'd forgotten he was coming home today. His eyes were glistening but he was smiling. He sniffled and Sue had to wipe his nose because both of his arms were out of commission right now. They tried taking part of one to get the other to work this last operation and he didn't have the use of either right now.

"Hey, Charlie, it's good to have you home," I said shifting little CJ so he could see him. "You must be Sue," I said stepping forward shaking her hand.

"It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot of good things," Sue said smiling and Bella walked up behind me and wrapped her arm around me, kissing my cheek and little CJ, too.

"Well, that's nice," I said awkwardly. "Did you need help bringing your stuff up?"

"No, I have a cart, and since you have an elevator, it was fairly easy to get it up here," Sue said with a pleasant smile.

"That's good. I'm so glad we had the foresight to put the elevator in," I said looking at Bella. "We didn't have one before the fire," I pulled Bella around and rubbed her little tummy, "But I can see it coming in handy, and not just for Charlie's chair, either."

"Yes, I was a little surprised when he said he would be living over a restaurant, but this place it great."

"Well, that would be thanks to my Bella here," I said kissing her. "She really was the one that pulled this place together."

"That's not true, Edward, you did all the work," she complained. My girl was humble.

"I only do what you tell me, dear," I promised kissing the top of her head and she blushed. When I looked over at Charlie, he was smiling and I was glad that he finally was starting to understand how much I loved his daughter, and now his son, my son.

"So, what are we doing for dinner? We have to celebrate Charlie coming home," I said excitedly bouncing little CJ who kicked and flailed his little arms with excitement.

"It's too bad the Italian place has closed," Bella lamented and all I could think was thank God the Italian place closed. I looked at Charlie and he was grimacing. I guess he knew what that place was, too.

"I can always cook us something, baby? What do you want? Are you craving something?" I asked excited.

"Just Dora's cannoli's," she pouted.

"Maybe my mom has the recipe or some clue what she put in them. Just give me a minute, I'll go find out," I said hurrying out the door. I didn't even realize I still had CJ until Rose came attacking me, trying to steal him from me. I was so used to having him in my arms that he felt more like a limb than baggage. He kind of was my extra limb, my fussy one that needed a lot of burping, but he was cute.

I found my mom and asked her about the cannoli's and she told me to hold on a second. She went into the office and came out about thirty minutes later with a big smile. "I've got it. The whole recipe, right down to the pasta!" my mother exclaimed.

"Really?" I asked excited.

"Of course, once I told Dora that Bella was craving it, she almost insisted on flying back to make it for her, but her husband convinced her to just give me the recipe. Now, you have to swear that it'll never leave the two of us. Only we're allowed to have it and only use it for good," she said like she was giving me super powers.

I smiled kissing her cheek. "Of course, Mom, to the grave," I teased in a bad Italian accent. She swatted my behind and I ran away and snagged my son from the bridge club. Poor kid had more lipstick on him now than the drug store. I was apologizing to him when the elevator door opened and Bella was laughing at me. I was not sure why, but then she wiped some lipstick off me.

"Let me guess, Lottie and the bridge club?" she asked.

"Yes," I grumbled. "I didn't even get a tip because I wasn't working. The poor little guy was accosted when Rosalie stole him," I hugged my son. "I swear, buddy, if I knew she was going to take you over to those crazy old birds, I wouldn't have let you go." CJ was just patting my face and Charlie let out a chuckle. Apparently, Bella had told Charlie about Lottie's fascination with my backside. He found it hilarious. How did I know this? He told me to shake it for Sue and she would give me a twenty.

"Alright, you guys, enough teasing. I risked my backside and saved our boy from the lipstick harpies and still was victorious. I have the cannoli recipe," I held it up triumphantly.

"Really?" Bella asked wide eyed like I'd just told her I had the golden ticket.

"Yup," I said waving it and headed into the kitchen, preparing to put my culinary expertise to good use. Being a good first officer wasn't the only thing I excelled at. I could totally hold my own in the kitchen. "Now, you all better be nice or I won't make any leftovers for later!" I snapped.

I was apparently not scary because Charlie and Sue chuckled. I couldn't really find it in me to care, though, because my pregnant wife came in with my son and kissed my lips softly. "Thank you," she whispered.

That was what made it all totally worth it.

A/N thanks for reading please review.


	62. Chapter 62

SM owns it, Dollybigmomma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 62 Nursing and old wounds

To say I was wearing thin would be an understatement. The doctor said CJ should get over his colic at four months and I was counting down. Of course, I counted right down and found at the end was still a crying, colicky baby. It didn't matter what formula we used, his tummy didn't like it. I was thanking the Lord for having mercy and not making me have to stay on the ship but sending me home to Bella so I could take care of this kid. She was pushing thirty-seven weeks and was miserable. I caught her once or twice yelling at the baby to get out of her lung space and shoving her belly down like it would actually move.

Bella was tiny compared to her tummy and I was feeling like an evil fiend for impregnating her. Seeing how tiny she was compare to her massive tummy just emphasized how young she really was. She had just finished up the fall semester and was trying to help more with CJ, but holding him was very awkward for her. He was still too young to really hold on, and between her massive breasts and tummy, she could barely hang on to him, not to mention that our daughter didn't like her brother sitting on her and would start kicking wildly at him. When I saw the bruise from her kicking at her brother on Bella's tummy, I put a stop to asking her to hold him anymore.

I was starting to get worried about little CJ because at four months he hadn't gained a whole lot of weight. One would think he would bulk up. I had always heard that babies grew fast and they were chubby little things. CJ stayed pretty lean looking and only grew up. He was nineteen inches when he was born and was now only twenty-one inches, so I guess that was something.

I was worried that his perpetually upset stomach was keeping him from gaining. His doctor said we shouldn't worry about it until he hit six months. He was only thirteen pounds now. I was sure he should be heavier. The doctor wasn't worried, though, because he passed all the normal baby tests and could roll over and hold up his head. She even complimented his hand eye coordination. I guess most babies whacked themselves in the face a lot with toys. My boy never really did that. He was smart. I told Charlie this and he was sure we had a ball player on our hands. He also told me that Bella still was smacking herself in the face at eighteen months old. He only remembered this because Renee was sure Bella had a vision problem and it cost a small fortune to find out his daughter was just clumsy at a young age.

Sue took Charlie to his checkup and I took Bella to her thirty-seven week checkup. We had CJ with us to say hi to Dr. Canter. She was always asking how he was doing so I thought I would bring him in.

Bella complained that her hips were hurting, constantly popping out of place.

"That's just your body getting ready to have the baby. It's actually a good thing because you're measuring a little big. I think you're going to have a good size baby," Dr. Canter said.

This did not put my wife's mind at ease so Dr. Canter went over the different types of pain management which seemed to help Bella settle down a little.

Dr. Canter was holding CJ and I just had to ask and get a second opinion. "Is he small to you? He started out kind of on the big side of the baby scale but he's just not doing well on the formula and I'm worried it's affecting his growth."

Dr. Canter smiled at me and kissed CJ's head and then moved him to the table and examined him. "Well, other than being small, he seems alright. Bella, do you know if you and your parents were thin babies?" she asked.

"I've seen pictures; we were all fat rolls and chub," she answered and Dr. Canter frowned.

She looked up at Bella, "Have you given any thought to breastfeeding CJ?" she asked us and we both looked at each other confused.

"I, I, I don't have milk," Bella finally stuttered out.

"Not yet, but you will. In fact, he could help get your milk supply up and he may do better on breast milk than on formula. Some babies just have a hard time tolerating it."

"Will that fix his colic?" I asked excited.

"Most likely it will."

I looked to Bella excited and she looks scared.

"Bella?" I asked wondering what her opinion was on this whole mess.

"I um, I don't really know how to do that," she finally admitted blushing.

Dr. Canter suggested we get a breast pump and see if we couldn't get some milk out, or starter milk which was colostrum. Bella didn't seem too excited, but then Dr. Canter said that nursing could start labor and she was suddenly all for it. It turned out at thirty-seven weeks, if you went into labor, they didn't stop it. Bella was suddenly hyped to try it. I guess she was tired of being pregnant.

Bella tried the breast milker thingy until she swore her boobs were going to fall off. She was disappointed that she only got a little out of one side. It didn't even amount to a full ounce but I gave it to CJ and he sucked it down curious.

Over the next week she finally worked up to three ounces on the one side and one on the other. So we ended up with a full four ounce bottle. CJ would drink it and I noticed he was less fussy after drinking it. Of course, that may have been my wishful thinking.

At her thirty-eight week checkup, Dr. Canter suggested I try working up her milk supply and then once it got flowing, see if CJ would latch on to the breast. I guess a baby's sucking was really hard to simulate.

The only problem was once I got sucking, I didn't want to stop. My beautiful wife had nice breasts. Needless to say, I didn't feel like sharing. Lucky for me, I was able to convince her with a couple of orgasms that we didn't need to share right then.

CJ, on the other hand, was not feeling the love and decided to cry before I was able to get mine, the little traitor. Thankfully, Bella promised me some loving later that night.

Sex with my wife was difficult. We usually had to find someone to keep CJ busy and then I was having a difficult time with the whole execution of it. She was tight before and now, well, she was very crowded, and then when I realized that was my daughter in there I was pushing against, I kind of freaked out. Yeah, I hoped she had the baby soon. It took some work but I did finally distract myself enough with my lovely wife's face that I could find my release. I tucked her in after we were done and went to go get my son from my mom.

Carlisle was holding him and bouncing him on his knee. He looked like a natural. "Did you ever have kids?" I asked.

He frowned. "I did, but I lost them and my first wife in a bad accident. I had two little girls," he said and CJ seemed to sense his sadness and snuggled into him. "I never thought I would be part of another family again until I met Esme," he said smiling at her working at cleaning off some tables. "She's amazing. I know the pain of losing a spouse and she's been through it twice, but even now she has the courage to love me. She's remarkable."

"Just don't hurt her," I warned.

"Never," he promised.

I took my son from him and then he stopped me. "Edward, I've noticed a few more strangers lingering. Keep your family close, and talk of Charlie shouldn't leave your home."

"Thanks, Carlisle," I said nodding, not liking that I still had to look out for my family against these nut jobs.

Things got crazy that night. I was catching my two hours of sleep. I had just put CJ down and was glaring at the clock that said it was 2:00 a.m. I did not like that my sleep pattern was shot to hell and hoped once the baby was born that Bella would be able to help more.

I had just dozed off when my wife woke me. I narrowed my eyes at the clock; it was only 2:45 a.m. "What?" I grumbled a little on the grouchy side. She usually didn't bug me in the middle of the night.

"Edward," she gasped urgently and I suddenly felt more awake.

"What's wrong?" I asked looking her over. Her face held panic and pain. "What is it?" I pushed again when she didn't answer.

She took a couple of deep breaths and then glanced at the clock and furrowed her brow. "They're seven minutes apart now."

"What?" I looked around frantically trying to figure out what she was saying and then turned back to her. "What are you talking about? Are you okay? Can I go back to sleep?" I asked begging a little.

"NO!" she shouted at me startling me. She never yelled, ever. "I'm in labor, you asshole! Get me to the fucking hospital!"

I had never heard my wife speak like that, but she had never been in labor before either. I was definitely not going to cross her or it might cost my life. I jumped up and ran out the front door only to have Sue yelling after me, "Edward, your wife!"

I looked around and realized I was standing outside in just pajama pants. I came running back in and jumped into my shoes.

"You need to call the hospital," Sue coached me, "And then call your mom."

I called the hospital just as Bella was screaming through another contraction. "My wife needs to call my mother, she's in labor," I shouted panicked at the nurse.

"Sir, can you please tell me who your doctor is?"

"Dr. Canter."

"I take it your wife is in labor?"

"Tell them her water just broke!" Sue yelled at me.

"She broke it! I have to go, the baby is coming!" I shouted running to our room where I found Sue holding Bella's bag. She handed it to me and promised to call my mom and keep an eye on CJ for me. I was hugely grateful as I just realized someone should be watching him. I was amazed all the shouting hadn't woken him but I knew he was just as exhausted as I was. Once I got down the stairs, I realized I only had my motorcycle. I had to buy a car! Why hadn't I bought a car when I had the money?

I heard tires squeal and my mother pulled up with curlers and a mud mask on. I quickly helped my wife into the car and we took off to the hospital. We pulled up and I found out that Sue had called the hospital after my mad rant and told them that we were coming in and Bella was in full labor with ruptured water.

Dr. Canter greeted us at the doors and smiled at our frazzled group. "It's time to meet the newest little McCarty."

It was eight hours later that my very cranky, angry, make me fear for my manhood wife finally gave birth to our perfect angel. My wife deemed her Carolina Renee and said we were calling her Cara for short.

My mother had washed off her face and taken out her curlers. She had Carlisle bring her some clothes, but ended up leaving not long after the baby was born so we could rest. My mom had held Bella's hand and coached her through her whole labor, and I was glad she was there because I was a mess. I hated seeing my wife in pain and being completely helpless.

My daughter was sleeping on my chest as my wife rested. I would doze but CJ had me trained pretty well to wake and keep hold of her. She had my crazy hair and newborn blue eyes. I wondered if she would have my green or Bella's brown eyes. Only time would tell.

Bella nursed Cara and since she had been pumping on and off, her milk actually came in pretty quick. Little Cara nearly drowned in it and the nursing coach laughed and asked if she had bones in her milk.

My sweet girl actually worried that she did for a moment but was quickly put at ease. We talked to the nursing coach about CJ and she said nursing him was totally possible. Bella seemed to be plentiful when it came to her milk supply. My mom brought little CJ to the hospital and the nursing coach showed Bella how to get Cara to start the milk and switch CJ over to her breast so he would get the idea to drink. It didn't take much and he was nursing like a champ.

Little Cara was nearly ten pounds and a chubby little mass next to the lanky CJ. They actually looked like twins, very large twins, but still twins. The nurses, my mother, and Dr. Canter made sure I knew that my first priority was taking care of Bella now. I had to agree with them. Since she was feeding both babies, I would have to be sure to make sure she was eating enough.

When we finally made it home, Charlie and Sue were thrilled to see both girls doing great. That was until my mother came in and announced that Dora was coming to visit to see the babies. My girl was oblivious and excited along with my mother.

The rest of us knew better.

AN thanks for reading please review!


	63. Chapter 63

SM owns it, Dolly big momma rocks it, I just write it.

Chapter 63 Hide and Seek

An emergency meeting of the men was called. We had to find a way to keep my family safe. We all met in my apartment so Charlie could attend and still stay out of sight. The girls were all downstairs in the restaurant except for Sue. Turned out she wasn't only a nurse, but an undercover agent keeping an eye on Charlie since it was confirmed he was a target.

It pissed me off that they thought giving him mild visibility would entice a strike against him. IN MY HOME! Yeah, pissed was an understatement. Sue said it wasn't her plan, she was just following orders.

The decision was made that we should tell my mother but not Bella about the connection between Caius and Marcus. Carlisle and I didn't want her having a setback. Bella was still nervous around people so she wouldn't do any talking anyway. There was no reason to scare her if we didn't need to. It was time to call my mother, though, and inform her of who she was really shmoozing with.

When my mother came upstairs, she was bouncing off the walls. "Did Emmett tell you?" she asked wondering why we were all looking so serious.

We all looked to my brother and he shrugged, "The timing didn't seem right to spill the beans."

"Spill what beans?" Carlisle asked.

"I proposed to Rose, she said yes," he said shrugging again like it wasn't a big deal.

"Those are some pretty cool beans, Jack," I said and he raised a curious eyebrow at me. "Jack and the bean stalk," I said in a duh voice.

He chuckled and my mother was laughing as well. When I looked back at the rest of the room, their faces were all serious and slightly sad. It was because the happy smile that was on my mom's face would soon vanish.

Carlisle sat her down and caught her up on everything we had done so far to help keep Bella's true identity from Dora and Caius. My mother almost insisted we tell them the truth but Carlisle informed her that they believed it was Bella's fault that Caius's brother was killed. "Vendetta is something the Italians are very familiar with. They'll come for her if they know who she is, dear," Carlisle explained trying to comfort my mother. "Charlie here already has a hit on his head for looking for his daughter and messing up Marcus's operations in the process. They blame him for this mess as well."

My mother looked over at Charlie and then to Sue. What Sue said next shocked us but it wasn't surprising. "We don't think his accident was an accident. We think it was a hit and it killed Renee, and almost the baby and Charlie as well. These guys are serious, Mrs. McCarty, and they're well equipped to do it. They will kill Bella and your granddaughter, and they won't care who else they hurt in the process. They almost killed CJ once; don't give them the opportunity to try again."

Charlie was frowning with tears in his eyes. I understood now why he was so quick to give up the baby in hopes of hiding his connection to him from the men that were after him. He had already lost so much when he lost Renee.

The phone rang and I just looked at it because everyone was here. Carlisle walked over and picked up the line. "Hello?"

"Yes, of course, Mr. Crowley, I'll make sure they know to bring her over tomorrow. Alright, goodbye."

Mr. Crowley was the lawyer that handled the settlement of Phil's life insurance. I looked at Carlisle curious but he didn't give me any indication of what was going on. "You and Bella have an appointment at his office tomorrow at 3:00 p.m."

I nodded in acceptance. I knew he wasn't going to be telling me anymore.

A plan was made to stick with Caius and Dora the whole visit. One of us would always be with them to keep an eye on them. Carlisle was going to be the one with Caius the most, as he spoke Italian and could understand anything if he was getting suspicious.

We all heard the call button for the elevator and I knew it was Bella because the only other people with the key to it were Sue and I. "It's Bella," I announced. "Act happy or something," I panicked. "She can't know what's going on."

Emmett started laughingly loudly and my mother and Carlisle followed suit along with the rest of the room.

Bella came in pushing the stroller with my babies in it. She smiled at the jovial looking crowd. "I'm sorry," she whispered to me, "The kids are getting fussy, they need a nap. Can you help me get them down?"

"Of course, beautiful," I said kissing her cheek and picked up little CJ who was kicking wildly in the front of the stroller and reaching for me. "Hey, big boy, are you happy to see Daddy?" I asked. He actually let out a squeal, really lightening my mood. Who would have thought a baby could be an antidepressant. "Sorry, everyone, but the kids need their naps. It's time to move the party elsewhere."

They filed out of the apartment and Charlie and Sue went back to their room. I helped Bella gather what she needed and laid on the bed with her and the kids. She pumped a bottle for me to feed CJ and then pulled little Cara to her side and started to nurse as I fed him the bottle. He was watching the pair of them together and reached out and grabbed little Cara's hand. She didn't look, but gripped his hand back like she knew just who he was and liked him holding her hand. He had my finger in his other hand and I smiled when little Cara patted Bella's breast and Bella reached a finger down to her free little hand and let her grab it. We were a family and the kids even understood it as well. I would never let anything happen to them.

Bella dozed off and I picked up CJ and headed to the nursery. He wasn't fussy but I knew he still needed a good burp before I tried to put him to sleep. Little Cara was fast asleep with my Bella and there was no way I was disturbing them.

I sat in the rocker and pulled out _Jack and the Bean Stalk_. I was not sure where we got the book but he seemed to love hearing me read it and would grab at the pages like he was trying to turn them. After the third time through, he finally dozed off in my arms. I just held him a while watching him sleep, feeling so lucky that he survived the crash and was my boy now. I was about to lay him down when I heard the front door of our apartment open. I wasn't sure who it was, but everyone in our family knew to knock and announce who they were so they wouldn't freak out Bella.

What I heard next just cemented it for me that they were not family. Sue was fighting with someone and not with words. Charlie was yelling at her to just get out and let them do their job.

This could not happen with my kids and wife in the house!

I looked over at the crib and decided I couldn't put CJ in it. If they had figured out he was Charlie's boy, they might be under orders to harm him, too, and I wouldn't stand for that. There was a basket of fresh clean blankets in the closet and I laid him down in that before I closed the closet door. I had to make sure I closed my bedroom door. I snuck into the hallway. The phone started ringing so I darted into my room not answering it but hoped that the ringing phone didn't bring the killer out.

I saw my girls fast asleep and looked at the Sleep Number bed control. Alice insisted since we were buying a new bed that we get the latest and greatest. I deflated the bed some more but left it somewhat comfortable so they could hopefully sleep through this mess and stay hidden. I pulled the blanket up over the pair and it looked more like a lumpy mattress than a person in bed, and little Cara looked completely hidden.

I moved to the door and closed and locked it behind me. I had done the same to CJ's door and hoped my family would be safe. The phone had finally stopped ringing, but I heard a lot of grunting coming from Charlie and Sue's room. I took a deep breath and stepped in before I could back out. Sue was on the floor unconscious and Charlie was out of his chair. His one good arm was wrapped around the man's neck and his one good leg was hooked between the intruder's legs. I could tell by the way the man thrashed and the bleeding from Charlie's bad limbs that this was not going well.

I rushed forward, punching the guy in the gut. Unfortunately, this was not a good idea because I hit hard enough for Charlie to feel it and he lost his grip. The guy left Charlie on the floor helpless and I saw him coming after me. I backed up out the door and he followed looking pissed. I dove behind the counter and I heard muted shots being fired and the ting of them hitting the cast iron pots in the cabinet. I was glad I had chose to hide behind that cabinet and not the one with the mixing bowls a few feet down.

The front door opened and there was a loud bang. I was worried. Someone had been shot, but frantic steps came running to the cabinet I was hiding behind. My mother was there and I heard Carlisle ask if I was alright.

"It's Edward, he's fine," she said and ran down the hall and found the doors locked that led to my family.

"Where are Charlie and Sue?" Carlisle asked. I pointed to Charlie's room and he rushed in. I heard him talking to someone and a few minutes later, Jessup and the FBI showed up, taking the man out. A couple of ambulances came, taking Charlie, Sue, and the intruder to the hospital.

I found the key and unlocked the door to little CJ's room, rushing to the closet and pulling him out of the basket. He was still sound asleep and snuggled close to me as I held him in my arms. I opened the door to my room and Bella was looking at me confused and worried.

"I think I heard something. What's with all the noise?" she asked and I smiled sadly at her as I scooted into the bed next to her, bringing CJ between us so we could snuggle our kids as I spoke.

"Your dad had to go back to the hospital. The people are the ambulance drivers taking him."

Bella went to get up but I grabbed her arm. "He's going to be fine. Now rest and we'll go check on him after the kids wake from their nap."

"But-" she started to fight me.

"Sue's with him." It wasn't a lie; she was going to be in the same hospital as Charlie. I needed to keep my girl calm. I didn't want her to know this evil had touched our lives again.

I was grateful that someone had cleaned up all the blood, and apparently the FBI had taken all the bullets from the cabinet for evidence. I just had to find a way to explain the holes in the back of the island. Maybe she wouldn't notice because the overhang from the counter and the stools were in front of it. I hoped it would buy us some time. I just needed to get some wood filler and she would never know the difference. Her home would always be her safe haven.

I wouldn't let anyone ruin that for her.

A/N, My wonderful Beta is going in for surgery tomorrow and will be out of commission for a while. Keep her in your prayers. Thanks reading please review.


	64. Chapter 64

SM owns it Dollybigmomma is freaking Beta queen and magic when it comes to making my words work and sound good. She really is awesome people.

Chapter 64 mia famiglia

Charlie and Sue never came back to the apartment. They just had me pack up their stuff and put it in the van they had waiting for them. Apparently, they were eloping. At least that was what they told Bella. She hugged them both. Charlie was smiling like he was really happy to be going away. They were putting him in witness protection. They were able to save the guy that attacked us and they turned him to testify against Aro. From what Jake had informed me, it was Aro that was the danger, not Caius. They still believed other than his brother's dirty start up money, Caius ran clean businesses.

My mother picked up Dora and Caius from the airport and brought them back to the restaurant. I was nervous when Caius seemed to take such an interest in CJ. My mother explained that we adopted him and that just after we decided to adopt him, Bella found out she was pregnant, all completely true.

"That's such a common thing," Dora said waving her hand in understanding. "It happened with Heidi as well, remember?" she pointed out to Caius but I had no idea who Heidi was.

Caius watched CJ get excited as I approached and I noticed him smile wistfully. I had found out that he and his wife weren't able to have children of their own. I picked up my son, tickling his neck and causing him to squeal and then cuddle me tightly. I had to admit, I really loved holding my boy.

"You both seem to get along very well," he said curious.

"He's my son," I stated plainly and pulled out his bottle for him to drink.

The girls had moved to the back room, leaving me with Caius. He sat down across from me. "I didn't think I could love a child that wasn't mine. That's why we've not adopted. How do you do it? Do you love him less than your daughter?" he asked.

I shook my head no. "I love him as if he were my own flesh and blood, just like I love my daughter. They're both my kids," I said kissing little CJ's head. "It was hard taking care of him at first because he was severely colicky. I was just getting used to the idea of being a father, but I really didn't have a choice other than to take over his total care, though, when Bella ended up pregnant and just so sick she couldn't care for CJ herself."

"What did you do then?" Caius asked worried and curious.

"I did the only thing I could do. I learned to change diapers, make a bottle, feed a baby, burp and bathe him. I spent a lot of long nights rocking him, feeling inadequate and like I'd failed as a father."

Caius furrowed his brow. "What changed?"

I laughed. "Nothing, I suppose. I always wonder if I'm going to mess up my kids. I worry that I'm not doing enough for them, or too much. I freak out a little when both of the kids start crying at the same time and Bella is in the bathroom taking a shower."

"Your son loves you," he pointed out. Little CJ was holding my finger with one hand and was patting my cheek sweetly with the other, completely focused on my face.

"Yes, he does, I think that's the best part of it. You've seen how he gets excited when he sees me, the way he smiles and kicks his little legs. It really is the best feeling and makes the rest of it worth it."

He sighed. "Edward, I know who he is."

I felt myself stiffen and I looked up at him with warning in my eyes.

"They have my brother, Aro, in custody, and I have no doubt his fate will be the same as Marcus's in prison. They've made their own beds to lie in. Your son," he said with a slight smile, "has nothing to do with this mess. I will keep him safe."

I let out a sigh of relief and wondered if he knew who my Bella was. He saw me glance at the door that the women were behind. "Yes, I know it's her as well. My brother, Marcus, was a fool. He engaged in a deplorable business and bought a girl from someone who didn't own her in the first place. Bella wasn't Phil's child, she always belonged to Charlie and Renee, and that was proven when Charlie tracked Marcus down with a vengeance. It's what a real parent would have done. When I saw Dora holding little Cara, I understood. I would not let anyone touch that child. Not even my sick older brothers. I don't know what happened. I don't understand why they turned out the way they did, but I promise you, Edward, your family is safe."

I stood up and hugged him tightly in my arms, squishing little CJ between us. He reached up and patted Caius's cheek, causing him to smile.

I stepped back smiling relieved. "Thank you, so much. You don't know how much that means to me."

He smiled. "You don't know how much it means to me that you let my wife come into your home to see your most precious treasures knowing the risk that followed. You let your family love her and welcomed her and me to your home and it means the world to me to be here and see these sweet little ones doing well. Innocence is such a rare thing," he said looking wistfully at CJ. "I would like to help keep the children innocent as long as possible, safe from any fool who would ever consider coming near them."

I hadn't realized, but Carlisle had come in and heard almost everything. "You know, Caius, we're really missing that wonderful Italian cuisine your wife makes and I know my Esme would love for you to be at our wedding."

He smiled widely and the men hugged, patting each other on the back. "Mia famiglia," Caius said as he pulled me into the hug. I hugged him back tightly and CJ surprised us all by reaching for Caius and climbing into his arms.

When we stepped back, Caius was smiling widely at little CJ, laughing at his excited face. He knew something good was happening and knew Caius was the cause and wanted to be part of it.

Dora came out holding little Cara and smiled at her husband holding my son. "That looks good on you," she said with a smile.

CJ hammed it up, giving Dora and Cara a big smile, excited to see his sister.

"I believe you're right. You know, we'll have to move back here so I can hold him more often," he said kissing the top of CJ's little head.

My mother glanced nervously over at us and Carlisle quickly hugged her to him and whispered something in her ear.

"Do you really mean it, Caius?" Dora asked getting more excited.

"Yes, my Dove, we should be close to family," he said smiling at the babies in their arms.

My mom let out a squeal and ran over hugging Dora. "Sugar, you have to be my maid of honor!"

It was later that night Bella was lying next to me in bed. "I knew they would love them and keep them safe. They were just too good of people to be involved with Marcus."

I looked at her shocked. "You knew?"

She smiled sadly, "I didn't want you to worry about me."

I rolled over pulling her tightly to me. "I didn't want you to be scared. You know I would keep you safe."

"I know," she said simply and we lay quietly for a moment enjoying the rare moment we got alone.

"Edward," she spoke my name softly, "I think we should have Caius and Dora be Cara and CJ's godparents. They need to be part of our family, and what better godfather can you get for protection than an Italian one."

"That's not funny."

"I wasn't kidding."

"I didn't think you were." I closed my eyes for a moment.

I felt her lean over and kiss them. "I love you, Edward. I want to keep my family safe and have them be well taken care of. I have the money to do it now."

I looked at her confused. We had been so busy I hadn't been able to ask her how her visit with Mr. Crowley went.

"Phil took a five million dollar life insurance policy out on my mother. Since he's gone, it's mine. I put some away for CJ and Cara. I thought if Caius and Dora were their godparents, we could stay here. The kids would be safe and protected, and we could be with your family. They're moving here, Edward. They're staying. If you don't trust them to love us, then we should leave."

"I do, I know they love us, Bella," I backtracked. She was right. I was just a little hung up on the whole Italian Godfather thing.

"So, do we stay or go into hiding?" she asked again.

"We stay, love. We stay and have our family's love and support," I kissed her nose and she smiled.

The next day, we took the kids over to the restaurant where Dora and Caius were working to open up again.

"My babies!" Dora clapped. "Caius, darling, they brought the babies."

I smiled as Caius put down what he was working on and started wiping off his hands quickly, as if he couldn't get to the kids fast enough.

"We wanted to ask you guys something," Bella said and I think that was the first time Caius had ever heard her speak because he smiled so widely at her it looked like his face might break.

"Of course, come and sit," he said pulling a chair out for my wife and his. He took little CJ from me and bounced him on his knee.

"Edward and I were talking and," I grabbed her hand and finished her sentence.

"We were hoping that you would both consider being our children's godparents."

Caius and Dora both started talking excitedly to the children in Italian, kissing and hugging them both.

Caius pulled me into his arms. "My son, we would be honored." He kissed my cheeks and did the same to Bella, causing her to blush and him to laugh. "Your children," he said proudly but then corrected himself, "Our children," he said, taking my hand, "will have the best of everything. I will promise you that." He leaned over and kissed little Cara's nose.

"Caius," Dora said with tear filled eyes, "I have someone to pass my recipes to."

Bella hugged her tightly and Dora kissed the top of her head. "Isabella, I know you have Esme, but I hope you will come to see me as a mother, too."

"I'm so happy to have you," Bella whispered causing the women to break down in happy tears.

Of course, our sensitive little Cara started crying because Bella and Dora were crying. This made little CJ upset so he started grunting and waving his arms like he was mad and telling someone off. This made us all start laughing, startling the children and causing them to stop and look at us wide eyed and confused.

"I think he has some Italian in him yet," Caius said smiling as CJ pouted at him offended.

"He is one quarter Italian actually," my Bella said smiling causing Caius to smile widely and slap his leg. "I knew it. My little bambino, we're going to make so much pasta you can do it in your sleep!" he said excitedly to CJ and he quickly lost his pout, squealing in agreement.

"Dora, my Dove, we should name the restaurant Bambino's, after our babies."

She leaned over and kissed him. "It's perfect, Caius. I can't wait."

I relaxed that night in my bed for the first time. My family was truly safe. No one was looking for us or hunting my wife. It was just me, my wife, and my kids. We were safe and snuggled in our beds, and I kissed my wife softly, smiling wider as she deepened it. I was hers and she was mine and there was no one to fight anymore.

All our wounds had finally healed.

A/N Keep my beta in your prayers please. She is staying up late tonight working on this story so it will be done before she goes under the knife Tuesday morning. This was the last chapter. The epilogue is next. I hope you enjoyed Phantom Scars. I will be taking a break from writing for a short bit so I can go take care of my girl Dollybigmomma.

As Arnold says, "I'll be back." Thanks for reading please review.


	65. Chapter 65

SM owns it, and Dollybigmomma totally fixed this finally chapter. She always remembers things I forget to wrap up. She is amazing like that. Thanks lady, love you!

Chapter 65 Epilogue

Five years later…

CJ ran up the front steps and flung open the doors. "Nonno!" he shouted for Caius, "It's my birthday!"

I was holding my little girl, Doreen, and my new son, EJ, in my arms. Cara came out of the kitchen waving a wooden spoon and grousing at CJ just like my mother. "Dis is a pace of bidness, CJ!" I did my best to bite back my laughter. Dora and Bella came out of the kitchen, doing their best to hold back their laughter as well at my daughter's antics. A few of the lunch patrons let out a giggle, though, causing her to glare at them with her fists on her hips. She was sassy like my mother.

Doreen reached out for Dora and EJ wanted his momma. It was time to feed him and I didn't have the proper equipment so I brought him by for lunch.

"It's your birthday?" Caius asked CJ.

He nodded his head yes so hard I thought it would fall off.

"That can't be! How can you have another birthday already?" He turned to Dora, "Didn't he just have a birthday? I'm sure of it!" he said.

"Yes, I am, too. I'm sure there were pink party hats involved," she played along.

"NO, that was Reenie's party, she turned three!" he said holding up three fingers.

"Really?" Caius asked pretending to be shocked and took Doreen from his wife. "Are you three, my Dove?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded yes. She was timid and shy just like her mother but loved her Nonno Caius. I think this endeared her to Caius even more.

"Do you think CJ is telling the truth?" he asked her, causing her to giggle and shake her head no.

"My Dove says no, it's not your birthday," Caius said like it was final.

"But she's wrong! Momma, please!" he begged Bella.

"He's right, Nonno, it's his birthday, and he'll be turning six years old."

"Six years old!" Caius gasped. "My heavens, you're nearly a man! I have to hold up two hands to count it out!"

CJ held up six fingers proudly. "Yup, and Meme wanted me to come tell you that you _have_ to come to my party."

"A party for your birthday?" Caius asked teasing again. "Do we need to bring presents?"

CJ tapped his chin for a minute thinking. "Presents would be good, but if you don't have any, you still have to come."

This made Caius smile widely at us. "You've raised a good boy, Edward," he patted my cheek and kissed CJ and EJ on the head. "My boy, I'll be there, and I will not only bring one present, but six, because you're turning six and we should celebrate it right."

We spent the rest of the evening at my restaurant. Yes, you heard me right. After my mother married Carlisle, she turned the restaurant over to Emmett and I. She became his receptionist instead because she enjoyed having what they called afternoon delight. Needless to say, we all stayed far away from the office. Of course, that didn't mean my mother wouldn't walk into the restaurant at any time, greeting everyone like she still owned the place and took over our kitchen when she felt the need to feed people. Some things would never change.

Bella and I bought a house next to Dora and Caius because we were getting crowded, and CJ needed a place to run out his energy with Cara. Emmett and Rosalie moved into the apartment above the restaurant and were now expecting their first baby.

Alice expanded her store as well, and she did custom cakes and confections now, as well as candy. Her shop was featured on the food channel, which brought her business hand over fist. She and Jasper renovated the apartment above her store into a really nice residence, and they lived there with their twins, Jackson and Adeline. When she wasn't knee deep in sugar, she volunteered for the local women's shelter, counseling battered women and studying karate. Her run in with Phil had left her stronger and determined not to be a victim ever again. She was a black belt now, and was five feet of scary little woman when provoked.

Caius and Dora became known as Nonno and Nonna, which was Italian for grandfather and grandmother. My mother became Meme; why, I didn't know, that was just what my kids called her, and Carlisle was Papa. They all loved their titles and answered to them with pride.

My wife did finally finish her accounting degree, and now did the books for both restaurants and a few other small businesses on the side, but she spent most of her time learning Dora's secret recipes with Cara. She would pass them on to Doreen, or Reenie as the kids called her, when she was older.

Charlie was right about CJ being good at sports. We started him in T-ball and he was a natural. Sometimes I saw someone standing at the far side of the T-ball field and wondered if it was Charlie but remembered he was stuck in a chair. Caius said he had someone look into who it was and found that it was Jake. He was recording the games to pass on to Bella's dad. I made sure we all waved to him after that so he would see we were happy and still loved him.

I also found out that the strange men that Jessup kept spotting before the attack five years ago were actually security Caius had sent to keep us safe. They had backed off a little when they realized we were getting suspicious and that was when Aro's man had made his move. They were a constant presence in our life now, and were most welcome and treated like family.

Aro was sentenced to prison, and did indeed meet the same fate as Marcus, as did his buddies once it got out that they were behind a kidnapping ring that took children. Caius inherited everything once Aro was put away, and he turned it all straight over to the FBI and they quickly dismantled and took down the remaining crime family members. In the end, he was left with some legitimate shipping businesses for which he would seek my advice sometimes. He said I was a natural born sea man and that made all the difference. When I looked at the map, I didn't just see blue, but the climate and I knew how to route the ships into safe harbors. He told me later that I would be taking over along with our boys when he retired. I guess Emmett was going to have to handle the restaurant on his own then.

The party for CJ was perfect. We made sure to invite Jake and had him bring his camera to record everything. I talked to him a little about Charlie and wondered if he would ever come back. He was safe now that the bad brothers had been taken down. He and Sue had made a life for themselves, however, and didn't want to take any chances. Sue had children of her own, and Charlie was welcomed by them. He spent his days doing computer research for the FBI. Law enforcement was in his blood, and he was too young and able minded to just waste away in his chair. We were glad he had been able to make a life for himself, but that didn't mean that we didn't miss him, especially Bella.

It was twelve years later that CJ finally met Charlie for the first time. CJ had graduated high school and I spotted Charlie with Sue at the far end of the field after the ceremony. I pointed him out to CJ. "There, that man, get him and bring him here."

CJ looked at me confused but took off after them. We had told CJ he was adopted and that Charlie was his father and was who Uncle Jake was always taking videos for, but we had yet to tell him all the details. That was a conversation we had planned on having soon.

Charlie looked scared at first, but he just stared in shock. He was sure CJ would be upset with him. My son looked him up and down, taking in the scars and the wheelchair. He looked up at Sue and smiled. "You've been taking care of my dad?" he asked.

She nodded yes and he pulled her into a hug. Then he grabbed the wheelchair handles from her and pushed Charlie over to where my family was.

"Daddy!" Bella cried flying into his arms, or arm. He still only had one working one. "I've missed you so much," she said with tear-stained cheeks, kissing him madly all over his face.

She looked up at our son who seemed to have a confused look on his face. "Daddy?" he asked.

She gave me a worried look and I put my arm around him. "It's a long story, Son, but in the end, I'm still your dad and she's still your mother. We have the papers to prove it."

He took a deep breath, "I've known from a pretty young age that I was adopted, but it never really seemed to matter before, so I guess it still doesn't." I hoped he would get through this okay.

"No, it still doesn't."

Caius and Carlisle came walking up and Carlisle introduced Caius to Charlie.

"_Fanno parte della famiglia che appartengo. Siamo fratelli_," Caius said and looked to CJ who was now fluent in italian.

"He said we're part of the same family, we're brothers," CJ translated, smiling and hugged Ciaus. "Nonno," he said like he would break out in tears.

"_Il cuore è pieno. Abbraccio tuo nonno di nuovo_," Caius spoke again. "He needs you."

CJ turned to Charlie and hugged him, causing him to break out in tears. They spent the rest of the night talking about his life growing up and his baseball scholarship.

I turned to EJ to see him watching the girls walk past, much like Emmett did when he was a boy and it made me laugh a little. "Where are the girls?" I asked Caius sure he had security on them somewhere.

He pulled his phone and looked at two lights blinking. "They're by the concession stand. I have my men watching them."

I smiled and wrapped my arm around his shoulder. "Have I told you how much I love having your guards looking after my teenage daughters lately?"

He chuckled. "No one will touch my girls," he said smiling. "Remember, innoncent for as long as possible," he promised. I just hoped he meant that they would be virgins until they were thirty.

Bella smiled at me and I realized just how far we had come over the past twenty years. She was out and about, the perfect wife, into everything the kids were involved in, and still had time to take care of me and the house. I didn't know when or how it happened, but our rolls changed and she started taking care of me instead of the other way around. She was still my innocent girl, my little one, my Bella, but now she was so much more.

She was my everything.

A/N So that is it. I hoped you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading please review and keep my girl Dollybigmomma in your prayers.


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